The Gallifreyan
by Writless
Summary: With a genetic disposition to hurtling forward through time, Calypso was bound to cross paths with the Doctor. Their meetings are rarely in order, which presents a unique challenge to their budding relationship. Calypso not only must confront her growing feelings, but also the very real possibility that each trip with the Doctor might be her last. Episodic, slight AU.
1. The Convent

_A/N:This story is woven in with the DW canon universe at various points in time. It follows an episode formula, with a handful of chapters all involving one 'episode' at a time. Some of the episodes are completely invented, some follow the guidelines of real episodes. Most of those I've hacked to bits and reconnected to better serve my character and plot needs, and also because we can totally already watch the episodes, you don't really need me for that :D It's all about the tenth and eleventh Doctors and their meetings with Calypso (who isn't a mystical space princess who's secretly me, in case you were concerned), there are also companions sprinkled in, because who doesn't love the companions?_

_If you have any questions at all, please feel free to drop me a line. Obviously reviews and critiques are greatly appreciated. And if you're new to the game, don't be afraid to say hi! New people are great!_

_**Summary:** Calypso first meets the Doctor when the Sisters of St. Ada are plagued by a sky-demon. She thinks he's mad, especially when he tries to convince her they've met before. But with no history of her own, she can hardly argue with him. Then she's torn away, hurtling uncontrollably forward through time; inexplicably finding herself crossing paths with this Doctor again and again. Despite his unusual behavior, she finds herself looking forward to these meetings. But without any control over her movements, she harbors the growing fear that each trip with the Doctor might just be her last. 10/11/OC_

_*9/04/14 Working on updating these chapters because I'm addicted to editing. All rights to BBC, all veer-age from canon is mine. Please read and enjoy! (And review, I do the charlie brown dance when I get reviews)_

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><p><strong>-1304-<strong>

**-Convent-**

The clouds swept across the star strewn sky above Calypso, but her eyes were focused in the east where she could see the city. Not the details of the skyline itself, but the warm glow of the lights that flickered against the clouds as they passed overhead. It was so bright, even at this distance, it was a wonder the people who lived there could get any sleep at all.

Despite its inherent madness, Calypso found herself fascinated by the place. London was so full of people and busy lives, each time she visited she saw something new and exciting.

Of course, the Sisters, as a rule, did not covet the culture of London, or the people who lived there. They were there merely to tend the sick and the needy; and to pass on the word of God. Yet Calypso still found herself distracted by the place when not tending those less fortunate than herself. It was a harmless enough diversion, she thought, amidst the endless farming and praying that occurred in the convent. But not all of her sisters shared that sentiment.

Sister Florence, in particular, was not amused by Calypso's obsession with the city. She viewed it as her duty to ensure Calypso was not swayed by the sinful ways of those who had fallen from their path, and often nominated Calypso for the laundry on days they visited the city.

Calypso could not fault her for her reasoning, as much as it frustrated her, because she was practically a stranger here. A few short months ago, the Sisters had found Calypso face down on the road, during one of their trips back from the city. Miles from any town or village, it was as if she had fallen from the sky. When she had come to, she had no answers for her rescuers, no clue to her identity at all. Only her name, Calypso, but no memory of where it had come from.

Mother Catherine had given her a roof over her head, and a community to belong to, along with a purpose. She was grateful, and tried to prove it by working harder than most and serving the Sisterhood as best she could.

With the passage of time, she had hoped to regain some knowledge of who she was, and Sister Florence had all but demanded it. It had probably crossed the woman's mind that if not for the sisters, Calypso might well have been one of the less fortunate sinners that they cared for in the city. Until she could prove otherwise, there was an air of distrust between them. Which is why Calypso had never brought up the dreams that haunted her some nights. Nightmares full of impossible lights and endless screams. Fields of blood red grass and skies crowded with too many suns. They were not calming thoughts, and they brought her heritage no closer to light. And while Calypso could not say she truly believed of the demons in the Sisters good book, she knew that they very much _did_.

She shivered in her simple robes, the wind clawing away her warmth. Winter was on its way, though the leaves had only just begun to change. The clouds parted above, the full moon casting a pearly light on the grounds around her. Her eyes drifted over the animal pens; there was nothing much to see, the animals were all asleep and the gates were locked as well as they could be. There weren't many animals to account for, and they certainly weren't worth much to thieves, but the convent relied on the livestock especially through the winter months, and they had started to disappear.

Initially, a chicken had gone missing, and then another. They had expected that the fences had failed, and redoubled their efforts to ensure all animals were locked in their pens at night. But then a goat had vanished. And then a cow. There was no broken fence, no sign of vandalism, nothing to suggest the animals had done anything but vanished.

So now they watched the fields at night; tonight Calypso was to watch the stables, while Sister Anita would circle the grazing fields. Calypso thought it would be more practical, and vastly less of a struggle to stay awake if they made their rounds together. After all, a thief would be less likely to approach if they could hear two women chatting near the stables. But she didn't want to face Sister Florence in the morning if another animal had gone missing and Calypso had left her post. Nor did she want to explain to Mother Catherine that she had failed to do her duty simple because she was _bored_.

So she remained at the fence, rubbing her hands together fiercely, watching and waiting. She counted the stars for a while, before the number grew too great, and then she would start again. Her thoughts strayed to Anita, it had been a while since she'd seen the woman pass near enough to do their commiserating wave in the darkness.

The moon still illuminated the fields around her, and try as she might, she could not see the familiar dark figure even in the distance. She circled to the far side of the pen, hoping perhaps the stables had blocked her from sight. As she moved, a single scream pierced the night, and something else. Some kind of animal howl that caused a chill much harsher than the cold of the night.

Her mind screamed at her to run, to flee, to wake the Sisters and escape to the safety of the convent. But the growing silence clawed at her heart, what of Anita?

Before she knew what she was doing, she was running, her feet pounding against the tall grasses, and her lamp, perhaps foolishly, forgotten behind her. But instead of toward the light of the convent, she ran for the forest edge, the last place she had seen Anita.

"Anita!" She cried out as she closed the distance between her and the dark tree line, searching the shadows frantically for any movement. She opened her mouth to call again, fear settling firmly in her bones. "Ani-" A hand clasped over her face, silencing her call to a muffled yelp. She struggled against the thief, but he'd pinned her arms to her sides with his free hand.

"Shh." A man hissed in her ear. "I'm terribly sorry about all this, it's just important we don't attract any unwanted attention. Anita's fine, she's just fainted. I need you to keep quiet, do you understand?" His hand remained against her mouth, but its grip had loosened somewhat. "I'm not going to hurt you," he promised in the same low tone he'd been using. She considered screaming, but knew it would do her little good. He would tighten his grip again, and she knew it was unlikely anyone would hear her this far from the convent. She nodded quickly, trying to formulate some plan in her mind, she had to get help, but she still didn't know where Anita was, and she only had this man's word that she was still alive. "Alright, I'm going to let go now." He warned her, loosening his grip and then stepping back. She spun around quickly so as not to be taken unawares again. She could see him plainly in the light of the moon, his pale hands raised in a peaceful gesture. His short dark hair stuck up at odd angles like some kind of madman, but his dress was that of wealth. He wore an unusually tailored blue tunic, with trousers that matched, and a narrow scarf tied round his neck and tucked into the chest of his jacket.

"Oh," his somber face transformed suddenly, a grin widening his mouth. "Hello Calypso! Didn't know I'd be seeing you so soon again." His familiarity made her uncomfortable, she felt certain she would have remembered a strange man such as this.

"Are you from London?" She asked, the change in his demeanor suggested she was safe for the time being, and it nagged at her that she could not place him.

"Oh, no. No, no." He shook his head adamantly. "I'm from, oh…a long way off." He frowned, inspecting her carefully. "Do you really not remember-" he trailed off, her confusion evident from her expression. "Oh," he said thoughtfully as he ran a hand through is wild hair. "Right, right. You only move forward, so…is this the first time we've met?"

His question, as did his train of thought, caught her off guard. "I'm sorry, I see many faces. We help those who are ailing from the city, perhaps I have seen you there?"

"Nah," he drawled. "Not really the 'sick' type. Well, I suppose that depends on your definition. Well," he shrugged again. "And who you've been talking to." But she had stopped listening, because over his shoulder a shadow flickered across the moon. She stared, transfixed as she saw it clearly between the branches. It was huge, larger than any animal she had seen, with translucent wings that carried it through the sky as it passed across the moon once more. She opened her mouth, desperate to scream or cry out, but too terrified to even breathe.

"Calypso?" The man stepped closer, waving a hand before her. "Are you al-" But he was interrupted by the creature shrieking above them. It reminded her of a hawk, but deeper and vastly more unnerving. "Oh right, that'll be the thing who's attention we wanted to avoid. Come on, into the trees!" He shouted a moment before he threw himself against her, causing them both to crash into the ground in the shadows of the forest. She felt the wind of its wings as the animal pulled out of its dive at the last moment, beating the air powerfully to regain its lost height, screeching in rage at its denied prey.

"Sorry," he apologized as he rolled off her. Calypso tried to catch her breath as she rubbed the back of her scalp where she'd connected harshly with an unearthed tree root. The man spun around, watching the creature disappear from view. "Well, that'll slow him down. We should have enough time to run for the church." He ducked past Calypso as she pushed herself up from the ground, and reappeared, dragging Anita's unconscious form with one arm over his shoulder. A dark stain spread from her leg and beneath the torn fabric, she could see where someone had applied dressing to the wound. "Grab on will you? Haven't much time." Calypso did as he said, pulling Anita's other arm over her shoulder to bear some of the weight. "Alright, time to run. Allons-y!" He said with a mad grin. He didn't wait for her to answer, and instead started to run as soon as they escaped the cover of the trees. She was too afraid to argue, and more afraid to be left behind, so she did her best to keep pace with his long bounding strides. Anita's head bounced between them, unaware of the danger they were in, while Calypso could do nothing but scan the skies, hoping against all hopes that it had gone away. Praying to any god that was listening that it had never even _been_. Her breathing raked in her chest, but she could see the flickering torches of the convent growing nearer. They were going to make it.

The cry of the devil chilled her blood as she heard it from behind, lining up for the next attack. She tried to push her legs harder, but she could feel them faltering, and the sound of wing beats above them made it all but impossible to hope for survival.

"Keep going!" The man shouted, suddenly dropping the full weight of Anita onto her shoulders. She stumbled and struggled to keep upright, now only managing a light jog, but her panic continued her forward. "I'll keep it distracted. Get inside the church!" He shouted as he peeled away, holding a small blue torch in his hands. "Oi!" He shouted at the sky behind her. "Big boy! Lookit here!" His voice faded as she continued to run, she doubted even a stone wall could stop her at this point. She heard the creature scream again, but it was no longer directly behind her. Her legs turned to jelly as she pushed the door of the convent open with the remainder of her strength, stumbling the last few steps into the church. She collapsed, trying her best to keep from dropping Anita to the stone floor as she did so.

"Sister Calypso?" Sister Margaret's concerned voice came from the inner chapel, her prayer beads clasped in her hands. "What has happened?"

"Please," Calypso gasped, struggling to breathe. "Take Anita to Sister Florence, she's been hurt." Her legs shook as she tried to stand again. "Get Mother Catherine," she said firmly and glanced back out into the cool night air. "And stay away from the door." Margaret stood there, shock plain on her face, but unable to move. "With haste!" Calypso said, her tone harsher than she intended, but it got the woman moving.

Instead of following her, Calypso faced the door again. She knew she had to go back out, even if she wasn't quite ready to do it. That man had saved her, probably Anita as well, and she couldn't leave him out there. Not only that, but he seemed to know her. If she couldn't remember him, that might mean he was someone from her past, someone who could explain where she belonged.

It was still another moment before she could force her legs to obey her. Her steps were halting, but she finally got past the stone foundation of the building, and beyond the safety of the church. But she saw no sign of them, man or monster.

"Sir?" She whispered, her voice hardly audible above the sharp breeze. Nothing moved, save the gently swaying grasses. She cleared her throat and took another few steps toward the stables, thinking perhaps he'd sought shelter there. "Sir, are you there?" She had spoken as loudly as she dared, but surely the monster would make a sound before it approached.

She took one more step toward the stable, her eyes cast out over the skies when the wind was suddenly whipping up all around her, blowing dirt and her own dark hair up into her eyes. She threw up her arms and turned back to the church, spotting it just as she heard the same chilling cry pierce the night. It had been sitting on the roof of the convent, staring down at her with demon eyes. And now it had leapt into the night, screeching as it made a wide circle to dive at her and finish the job it had come to do.


	2. The Convent  Part 2

_A/N: Edited 09/04/14_

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><p><strong>-1304-<strong>

**-Convent-**

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><p>"Not the distraction I was looking for, but that'll do!" The man shouted from behind her, she turned from the monster, and saw him running from the fence line where he had been disguised by the tall grass. "Come on then! No time for sightseeing!" He yelled as he gripped her hand in his own, yanking her back toward the church doors. The creature screamed above them, so close now that the sound pierced her ears and its hot breath was a whisper on the back of her neck. "Come on!" He urged her and she didn't dare look back. They both threw themselves into the open doorway, her arm nearly pulling from the socket as the man turned to slam the door shut behind them.<p>

They both crashed their full weight against the door just in time to feel a heavy thump as the wood creaked and groaned under the weight of the monster. She reached for the cross beam to add further protection and let out a relieved breath as it slid into place.

The door bounced again, the sound of claws and fangs scrabbling against the wood frame. It screamed its displeasure before the familiar beat of its wings suggested it was taking off once again. She let her legs crumple beneath her, sliding back down to the floor ungracefully. The man collapsed next to her, a shaky grin on his face.

"Well, there we are then," he said, his smile unfettered by the fact that they had nearly died. "Now I've just got to get the net ready. You were brilliant." He told her, as though that would make her feel better.

"Who _are_ you?" She finally asked the man who laughed in the face of such impossible dangers.

"I'm the Doctor," he said cheerfully. He leaned close to hear, speaking conspiratorially. "And I'm sorry, but you're really starting to cut off my circulation."

She looked down to where her hand still grasped his; her knuckles clenched so tight they were devoid of any color. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, dropping his hand as though it were a snake.

"S'alright." He shrugged, flexing his fingers and winking at her. "No harm done."

"What is the meaning of _this_?" Sister Florence's sharp voice carried louder than the furious drumming of Calypso's heart. She groaned inwardly, wishing that Margaret had just done as she'd been told. Of course, Sister Florence had likely demanded an explanation, and come down determined to get one. At least this one time, it was highly unlikely that her stern demeanor could make anything worse.

"Calypso?" She glared at the spot where Calypso still sat, unable to gather the strength to stand. "I should have _known_. Why are you not in the fields? Do you care so little for this congregation that you would abandon your duty? And what is-" she gaped, her hand flying up to her mouth as the Doctor stood, and helped Calypso to her feet. She wasn't entirely grateful, especially with Sister Florence watching. She had hoped to stay on the floor a little longer, and maybe even melted away beneath Sister Florence's furious glare. But perhaps it was better that it did not look like she was cowering. "You have brought a _man_ into our sacred home?" She whispered the words like a curse.

"I'm not a man," the Doctor said, indignant. "I'm the Doctor."

"I knew you were a black stain, ill-suited in this holy place," Sister Florence strode forward, her crooked finger accusing Calypso. "When the Mother finds out about this, you will be back to whatever dark hole you crawled-"

"Would you speak for me, Florence?" Mother Catherine's voice cut through whatever threat she had been about to make. For the first time that night, Calypso felt an inkling of relief as Margaret appeared in the hall just behind the great Mother. She promised herself to make an extra effort to thank Margaret for her kindness.

"Forgive me, reverent Mother." Sister Florence bowed her head, regaining her composure. "Back to the field, Sister Calypso, so we might discuss what is to be done about your _reprehensive_ behavior."

Calypso felt a hysterical giggle start to bubble up and she slapped her hands over her mouth to prevent it from passing her lips. She doubted there was _anything_, save God _himself_, that could make her go out into those fields again. The Doctor smirked, noting that some of his madness had clearly spread to her.

"I really wouldn't do that." He said, tucking his hands into his pockets. "There's a rather predatory Trecadonyl out there, and it's on the hunt." Everyone stared at him, his words a cryptic puzzle. "Have you been losing livestock recently?" He tried again, eyeing Catherine and Florence both, though it looked like it was the latter who needed convincing. "Sure, it started as field mice, maybe a chicken or two. Then maybe a cow or horse disappeared?" He pointed back to the barred door where Calypso still leaned for support. "Open that door, and you'll find your problem. Rather quickly. And you'll subsequently be devoured. But I suppose people give up all sorts of things in the quest for knowledge." He scratched his chin, deep in thought as he considered the debate silently. "_Or_, you could just take my word for it."

"This man speaks madness!" For the first time, Calypso found herself agreeing with Sister Florence, though she would never admit it. His mental fortitude, however, didn't seem to change the fact that he was right.

"Sister Calypso?" Catherine turned her scrutinizing eyes to her. "Does this man spin falsehoods in a place of God, or do his words ring true?"

She didn't truly know how to answer that. Much of what he'd said hadn't made any sense to her, but she had gotten the distinct impression that if that thing had caught her, she would not have enjoyed the consequences.

"I believe so, reverent Mother. There is something outside, a creature. It is larger than…" she failed to find an apt comparison. "It is _very_ large, with wings like a bat. It attacked Anita outright. If not for this Doctor, I believe neither of us would have survived the night." She realized quite suddenly that what she said was true, and directed her last words to the Doctor. "Thank you." He grinned back at her, looking pleased as a cat.

"Well then, Doctor." Mother Catherine inclined her head to the Doctor ever so slightly. "I believe we owe you our deepest gratitude."

"No trouble, happy to help." The Doctor beamed, much to Sister Florence's displeasure. He was interrupted by the shrill scrabbling of claws against the large windows of the chapel. "Though, might want to save the congratulations for _later_. We're not quite out of the woods yet." He turned to Calypso and beckoned her away from the door. While her eyes were still glued to the window, she found her legs obeying without giving much thought to it. The windows started to squeal as they cracked under the pressure from the outside. "Quickly," chirped the Doctor as he directed the rest of the Sisters further into the chapel. "Quickly now. Not the time to wait for invitations."

Mother Catherine moved first, ushering the other women down into the hall that led away from the chapel and the window. Calypso let the Doctor push her along, careful to give the walls a wide berth as they followed the group. She shot a quick look over her shoulder as the glass behind them exploded, eliciting a scream from both the Sisters and the winged monster. Its grimacing horned face loomed in the open window, growling as it tried to force its way through.

"Come on, they're not much friendlier in person." The Doctor urged her when he realized she'd come to a standstill. "I'll show you the ship!" He said excitedly, though she couldn't think of what kind of vessel would fit within the narrow halls of the convent.

They rounded the corner and headed toward the kitchens, deserted at this late hour. The sound of the creatures gnashing teeth as it destroyed their chapel haunted Calypso, even as they gained more distance. But then there was a large wooden box in the middle of the hall, one she was certain hadn't been there before. It was a vibrant blue color that she had only seen mimicked in the sky and she stared at it in wonder.

"Sisters, I think it would be best if you shut yourselves in the kitchen for now. Don't come out until I come for you, understood?" He held up his finger and eyed them all seriously. "I will handle the sky-demon. You. Stay. _Put_." His tone left no room for argument. Mother Catherine gave a curt nod, unused to taking orders, but also not a fool. Calypso turned to follow them into the warm kitchens but the Doctor grabbed her arm.

"No, no. Not you. Come on, I want to show you something." He clicked his tongue toward the blue box. "It's alright," he reassured Mother Catherine, who looked none too pleased with the arrangement. "I'll keep an eye on her. Remember," he shot them another warning look. "Not until I come back."

"As you say Doctor, be careful." Mother Catherine began to shut the door, sparing Calypso one last look, a mix of warning and concern. And then the door shut, and they were alone, with the strange box.

"Oh, you're gonna like this." He promised her with a grin as he pushed one side of the box in, stepping back so she could enter.

She gave him a suspicious look, but she could still hear the feral howling coming from the chapel and knew they didn't have long before it came searching for something more filling than wooden pews. She walked into the box, and as her eyes adjusted, she felt her heart stop. It was so huge, much bigger than the blue box appeared to be, larger, even, than the inside of their chapel. It was _impossible_, this thing, and yet it seemed, somehow fitting.

She looked back at the Doctor, as she heard the door click shut behind them. "Brilliant, isn't it?" he looked rather pleased with himself. There was something else here too, something that drummed in her blood, filling the air around her with a static. It felt oddly _familiar_. Like it was calling out, just to her. Her eyes locked on the center of the room, a glowing tube the color of fireflies pulsed like a beating heart. _That_ was what called to her.

"So," he said as he walked around her and rocked on his heels. "What do you think?"

"I…" she shook her head, struggling for words that were big enough to encompass every emotion that was filling her just then. She couldn't do it justice, she doubted even the bards could do a thing like this justice. "It's _beautiful_." She whispered, taking a hesitant step forward, almost afraid to encroach on such a thing.

"Go on then," he nodded encouragingly. "Have a look around, she doesn't bite."

She took a deep breath and stepped forward, trying to take in as much as she could. The walls were not made of stone, but neither were they wood. They were some slick surface that she could not identify at all, great tree-like pillars supported the room, but they too were unfamiliar. Made of a strangely porous material. She let her hand drift against one as she passed it, the extraordinary substance was cool and smooth against her skin. Her attention was drawn to the platform in the center, where the tube rested, beating away. All sorts of unidentifiable levers and pulls decorated the thing, if she had a hundred years she couldn't begin to understand them all.

The Doctor, however, circled the platform, touching and spinning several dials as he went. The room whirred to life around them, almost as loud and angry as the beast had been. The floor rattled and shook beneath her feet and she feared the creature had found them, rattling the blue box in an effort to kill them both.

"It's alright," he reassured her as he saw her panic stricken face. "Just taking the wee beastie back home. Returning the lost duckling to the flock."

"_Duckling_?" She stared at him, still trying to grow accustomed to the unsteady floor. She wondered if she had underestimated just how _mad_ this man truly was.

"Oh sure, he's just a baby yet. Sometimes they get off course. They migrate every billion, billion years. When the Milky Way and Andromeda align." He looked her and realized she'd registered nothing of what he had said. "Galaxies, they're galaxies…" he struggled for the right words, ruffling his hair with one hand. "Big clusters of stars. You know…" he searched her face for some understanding. "Stars? Those bright dots in the sky? Show up every night?"

"I know of stars," she spoke absently, her attention was focused on the pulsing green in the center of the room now. "You just say many strange things."

"Yeah," he shrugged. "I do tend to go on."

She reached out with her hand, hesitating for a moment before she finally pressed it against the smooth surface of the glass and felt warmth throb into her hand, a feeling of familiarity. _Home_. It said to her. Images from her nightmare returned, the red fields, the shining lights, faces covered in soot and blood. She shuddered as the scenes overloaded her senses, far more real than when she had dreamt them. But she knew them, knew they belonged to her somehow. Tears flooded from her eyes, whether from relief or misery, she could not tell. She gasped as she wrenched her hand back, afraid now of what it meant.

"Oh," he said, surprised as he stopped what he was doing and looked at the green cylinder with pursed lips. "I think she likes you." He saw that she was shaking and crossed over to her side. "What did you do?"

"It's _alive_," she whispered, covering her face with her hands, knowing it was true, but unsure how she'd reached that conclusion. "How can it be alive?"

"It's alright. It's alright," he told her, pulling her hands down. "That's just the Tardis. But how did you-"

"Doc-Doctor!" Even through her bleary eyes, she could see something was wrong. Her hands were glowing. It was as though they had caught fire, yellow flames slowly danced across her arms. She flailed at them wildly, but they didn't seem to burn, and nothing she did quenched the flame.

"What did you do?" He peered up at the cylinder, almost as though he expected it to answer. "Calypso, I'm sorry, that's never happened before. What _are_ you?" He gripped her by the shoulders, his curiosity an intense and frightening thing.

She was a _person_, she wanted to tell him, but she couldn't. "I don't know," she shook her head, the tears that fell now were fueled by fear and exhaustion. She could feel the fire spreading up her shoulders, but still it didn't burn, only washed over her with a strange sensation. "Please, I don't know." She whispered.

"It's okay," he spoke calmly now, seeing how frightened she was. "Just breathe Calypso, it's going to be alright." She looked into his eyes for some reassurance, but found that he looked just as unnerved as she.

She tried to believe his lie anyway, but the fire enveloped her completely. It still didn't hurt, in fact, the tingling had faded to a numbness all over her body. She couldn't even feel the Doctor's hands gripping her shoulders, though she could see they were still there.

"Calypso?" His voice had lost its calm. "How-what are you doing?" She tried to shake her head, but it was difficult to do, she seemed to be losing substance with each passing moment. "This is Huon energy. This is impossible; I need to know how you are doing this!" He was almost shouting, his eyes filled with a frantic intensity, but it didn't matter, because she was gone.


	3. The Black Plague

_A/N: Edited. 09/04/14 TW for assault and (mild) attempted rape. _

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><p><strong>-1349-<strong>

**-The Plague-**

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><p>Calypso stumbled through the thickets, her shoes had long since worn holes through the soles and her feet bled freely as she walked. She didn't care though, nor did she care that her dark hair now looked matted and tangled, or that she probably smelled like the sewage in the streets. None of those things mattered to her, because she had lost everything. There was only the plague now, only death.<p>

Six years she had spent rebuilding her life after she had lost the convent. And it had been a good life, a good home. Her mind lingered on those memories, just for an instant. But it was too much, too hard to think about, knowing it was all gone. She didn't want to see his face, or remember the bloated corpse he had become. She didn't want to remember how she had spent days in the room with him, begging the disease to take her too. But it didn't, and they had finally come for his body. She'd lost the strength to fight them off, but that didn't stop her from screaming obscenities at them as they did so.

She felt hot pinpricks in her eyes, but she didn't fight, she was too exhausted, and too empty to cry any more. She held out hope that the earth would open up and swallow her whole, if only she could walk far enough. Distance herself from the pain and the agony that had snatched away her joy.

"Oi!" A man's voice called from the road she had crossed. She paid him no mind. "Got us a beggar woman!" He called as though to his friends. Somewhere in the part of her mind that continued to stuff scavenged roots and water down her throat, a warning went off. But she couldn't have run, even if she'd wanted to. Her limbs were thin and useless, only her bitter anguish kept her on her feet, moving forward. In the hopes of finding some end.

"Hey!" He was closer now, perhaps he had followed her into the thickets. "Look 'ere!" When she refused to look back, she heard the whistle of a stone wing past her shoulder. For a moment she felt her misery transform to rage, bubbling up to replace the shell she had become. The urge to turn and hurl stones at him until she fell exhausted rose up, and then died bitterly. She couldn't make herself care.

All she had was the hope that someday she would fall, and then she would see him again, her Anthony, one last time. To see his smiling face in the next life, that's all she wanted. She was done with this world, and its confusion.

The next stone caught her square in the back of the head, the pain was sharp and she gasped as the world spun. She stumbled and fell to her hands and knees. She heard their scrabbling feet approach as they surrounded her, no doubt the kind of scum who had taken to thieving those too ill and weak to fight them off. She cursed them as one of them kicked her shoulder, knocking her to her side.

"Next time you'll mind me when I call." A squat balding man stood above her, a cruel grin on his lips. He added another kick to her stomach, knocking the wind from her lungs. He laughed as she curled around protectively, trying desperately to catch her breath. "Looks like a witch," he announced to the other two men that were nothing more than gray blurs to her. "Only one thing for it." His tone was deadly serious and that caused her to look up at him again. She could see it in his eyes, he wasn't just some bandit, he was a monster. There would be no mercy from this man, only a painful death. A part of her was grateful, after all, this had been what she wanted. But she tasted bile in her throat and felt fear course through her veins.

He struck her in the face with a heavy fist, "Don't look at me, witch eyes." He spat in her hair, but she couldn't focus. The world had reduced to star-burst patterns and clawing fear. Her fingers grasped the ground, struggling to crawl away from the man. She should have run, she wouldn't have gotten far, but she should have run. Her efforts now were useless, one of the men grabbed her by a handful of hair and hoisted her to her knees. The bald man kicked her in the stomach again, and then connected his knee with her mouth. She tasted blood as another fist connected with her ribs. No matter where she tried to defend herself, they found another, more vulnerable place to strike.

_Anthony._ She repeated the name in her mind as a mantra fighting the pain that overtook her. She was too weak, she couldn't fight them away. Angry frightened tears streaked down her cheeks, but it did nothing to stop the men.

"Why ain't she screamin?" The man who held her hair asked. "No fun innit?"

"I'll give her something to scream about," the balding man said with a smug grin. He reached for his belt and nodded to the man behind her. "Hold her down."

She shook her head, she couldn't make her voice work, but she knew she if she could she'd be reduced to begging. She didn't want to die this way, broken and screaming. She'd wanted peace. They weren't going to let her have that. She reached up with her broken nails and raked them along the man's arm and face as he tried to pin her to the ground. He shouted and swatted at her, but another took his place. The bald man laughed and kicked her in the ribs sharply, the vicious pain stilling her. She felt her tunic rip and she continued to thrash, but she could already feel the strength leaving her.

"Oi! You lot!" She heard a woman's voice calling in the distance. _Run. _She begged the woman. _Run away_. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" The grip on her shoulders loosened as the men turned to see who was daring to interrupt their fun.

"Mind your business whore!" The balding man shouted at the newcomer. He turned back to his men with a grin. "We'll be with you shortly."

Before they could continue, something whistled through the air, striking one of the men above her in the shoulder. His grip released as he stumbled backward, staring at the shaft that had buried itself in his arm.

"Next one's in your throat." A man's voice warned them. It was the first time Calypso dared to hope, his voice wasn't a threat, it was a promise.

"Just a witch 'ere!" The balding man was unimpressed, he hauled her up by the back of her neck. She could barely see the two figures on the road, but they were armed. Another arrow fired across the gap and the man had to throw himself to the ground to avoid being at the pointy end of it. Calypso didn't have the strength to stand on her own, and so she fell too. The man who'd already been shot was stumbling away, and the third had joined him in fleeing. The balding man looked at Calypso with a snarl, and then he too was running. For the first time she could remember, she felt something other than misery. She felt relieved.

"I'll 'ave you!" The woman shouted at the retreating men as she grew closer. "Always wanted to say that." She rolled Calypso onto her back as gently as she could, her grin replaced with a look of concern. "Blimey, they're right scum. Are you alright?"

Calypso swallowed, more tears coming unbidden. She was so exhausted, so tired from fighting and running. She couldn't answer her. She saw the man blur past as he nocked another arrow, ready to fire into the distance.

"Oi! Doctor, leave em. I think she needs proper help." She turned her attention back to Calypso as she brushed the hair back from her face. "Can you speak sweetheart? What's your name?"

The man knelt next to her, pressing a cool hand to her forehead. "It's alright," he reassured her. "We're going to get you help." His hand stiffened against her face, and she could see the intensity of his eyes boring into her. "Calypso?" His voice was a harsh whisper as he spoke it, and she wondered absently how she could have told him her name when she couldn't open her mouth. "Calypso is that _you_?"

"You know her?" Donna looked up at the man, concern in her voice.

"I-I…yes." His voice shook as he pressed a hand against Calypso's cheek. There was something familiar about his voice, and his warm brown eyes. Something that Calypso was struggling to place in the slowly darkening thoughts.

"Doctor?" she mumbled as her eyes finally closed.


	4. The Black Plague Part 2

_A/N: Edited. 09/05/14 Was trying for angst here, so I would really appreciate any and all concrit anyone has. (I appreciate concrit for any other chapters too :D)_

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><p><strong>-1349-<strong>

**-The Plague-**

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><p>"How do you mean? If she's not got a Tardis, and she's not a time lord, how's she bouncing around time then?"<p>

Calypso woke to the sound of the woman's voice somewhere nearby. She struggled to open her eyes, but it was so bright, much brighter than it had been outside.

"Donna," the man was there too, though she couldn't see either of them. He sounded exhausted as he answered. "It's complicated." She knew that voice, she remembered his name just before she'd lost consciousness. But it was gone now, like a ghost from her dreams. Her eyes slowly adjusted as she lay there, wrapped in a warm blanket, revealing the two speakers nearby.

"Well, uncomplicate it then, spaceman." The woman stood with her hands on her hips. Her brilliant red hair was pulled back from her face, and she wore a bright purple tunic down to her knees, with gray tights covering her legs.

"She's from Gallifrey," Calypso focused her eyes on the man, trying to remember where she had seen him. His hair seemed to defy gravity as it stuck out in strange directions, and he wore a blue suit. Her heart hammered in her chest, she _knew_ this man. But she was having trouble believing it.

"So…she _is_ a Time Lord? You've randomly found another time lord just kicking around in the dark ages?" The woman he'd identified as Donna seemed skeptical.

"No," he shook his head. As he shifted, Calypso realized his hand was holding hers, his thumb absently stroking the back of her fingers. "Not a Time Lord. A Gallifreyan. We called them the Engineers. She's got Huon particles in her, which react with her biology somehow, and send her forward through time. I don't know why."

"Huon particles? You said those were deadly."

"Well, that's because they _are_, strictly speaking. But the Engineers were the original builders of the Tardis. They were bound to build up some resistance to it, working with them for so long."

"Doctor?" Calypso finally found her voice as she coughed to clear her throat. Her mouth was stale with the coppery taste of dried blood, but she found she wasn't in any pain. The Doctor turned immediately and she started, the same wide brown eyes stared back at her, the same face. He smiled at her as he saw she was awake. "You're the same…" she said wonderingly as she tried to sit up.

"Thought I'd hang onto this face a while longer, bit fond of it," he grinned as he helped her sit against the wall. She felt woozy as she moved, but things started to settle gradually. "It's good to see you up."

"Do you know this man?" Donna asked with a tilted head. "Because he's absolutely barking _mad_. I'm Donna, by the way. Donna Noble. So you're a time traveler too, yeah?"

"Donna," the Doctor chided her gently as he reached for a brown mug on a table nearby. "Here, drink this. It'll help clear things up." She took the warm mug and sniffed it carefully before taking a sip. It burned as it went down, but it also spread a comfortable warmth through her, helping soothe the remaining aches in her body.

"Well, I just want to know. You know, is she a proper space cadet, or is she just one of the poor sods you up and kidnap from time to time."

"Honestly Donna, you'll confuse her. And I didn't kidnap you, so stop holding that against me." Donna rolled her eyes.

The drink was having more than just an effect on her body, she could feel it spreading through her thoughts, brushing away the dust and cobwebs that had gathered there in the last few weeks or maybe even months. She had lost track of time since Anthony had gone, lost track of everything. And while she wanted to know how a man she had met in a convent almost fifty years ago still looked the same, it was the word 'Gallifreyan' that had caught her attention.

"Did you- Did you say you knew where I was from?" It was the one thing that continued to haunt her; her inexplicable past.

"Yes," he said, searching her eyes. "How much do you remember from the last time we met?"

"I…" she felt a little reluctant to tell him, since it still seemed so impossible that it was the same man. "I was a Sister at the Saint Ada convent, we had a creature attacking our animals. You showed me a blue box."

"Convent, convent…" he pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Ah, yes. Right. So that, that was _your_ first. So you don't know- Well, _any_ of it, I suppose. We've met a few more times- Well, _I've_ met you a few more times. I guess. From my perspective."

"Oh right," Donna snorted. "Wouldn't want to confuse her."

"Let's just start from the beginning, yeah?" He raised his eyebrow at Donna. "Your people, and my own. We both come from a place called Gallifrey. It's a planet in a whole other galaxy, millions and millions of light years away from this one."

"Fourteenth century might be a _bit_ early for astronomy lessons, Doctor."

The Doctor paused, and shrugged. "Right. Well, it's a world, like this one, but it's…it's a long way off. A different world, it's red and orange, it looks like a ball of fire from the sky." He smiled, as though remembering the place himself. She didn't really understand what he meant, but the dreams had never left her and as he spoke, the rolling fields of red grass came back to her sharply. Two glowing orbs floating in the sky. It seemed like madness, and yet, it almost seemed real.

"And you're a time traveler. Of sorts." He said the words slowly, so she might have some hope of digesting them. "I use a ship, the blue box, to take me where I want to go. You seem, well, you seem to use the Huon energy that's been woven through your DNA. It's actually a rather brilliant design, instead of needing a protective shielding to-"

"Doctor," Donna put her hand on his shoulder. Giving him a look. "Bit much."

"Right," he nodded quickly, returning his attention to Calypso. "The details aren't important. It's just the basic time travel bit."

"I'm sorry," Calypso shook her head. "That doesn't make sense."

"That's what I've been saying." Donna said with a snort.

"Well, d'you know how time generally goes? One day at a time? You work, you eat, you sleep, and then it's the next day. And that's pretty much how it goes until you're done?" She nodded, that seemed easy enough for her to follow. "Well, you and I don't have to do it that way. That blue box I showed you, it can go to any day I want, immediately. I don't have to wait for all the other days to pass. And neither do you. I imagine that's how you ended up here."

"What do you mean?"

"When you vanished, that night in the convent. What happened? Did you wake up the next morning in your bed?"

"I guess…" she thought back, she had done her best to push it out of her mind for so many years. Her past had always been so complicated, and it was easier to dismiss it entirely, than try to make sense of it. Instead, she had invested herself fully in the kind man she had met when she arrived here. She had built a life with Anthony, and none of the questions of her past had mattered anymore.

She did remember though. The yellow fire consuming her, waking in a strange place. Unable to explain how she had gotten there, and confused as to how the years had seemed to pass without her knowing it.

"I just arrived here. I don't know. Time had passed, I wrote letters to the convent to try and explain my absence, but there was no one who knew of me, or the people I asked about." She paused, "So you're saying when I vanished that night. I traveled through time to get here?"

"Yes, exactly." He smiled.

"Are there…others like me?" She asked. She hadn't dared dream that she could discover her heritage since her time in the convent. But this man, this time traveler; he knew of her past, maybe he knew of her family. Maybe he could even take her to them. Her heart surged with the possibility, filling her with a sense of hope she'd never before had. His mouth hung open, hesitant to answer. "My people, do they still reside in Gallifrey?"

"Oh, sweetheart." Donna's eyes had turned sad as she covered her mouth.

"No," the Doctor said slowly. "I'm sorry. They don't. Gallifrey…" he swallowed. The smile he so readily wore when he was fleeing for his life was suddenly replaced by the face of a broken man. "It's no more. There was a war-"

"Oh, don't tell her." Donna's voice was a soft pleading. "She doesn't want to hear."

"She needs to know," he stared down at the floor, pain clear in his eyes. "There was a great war. A great _terrible_ war." He turned his gaze back to Calypso and she felt herself shiver. "Both sides were tearing each other apart. And I- I was a part of it. I had to stop it. The whole of the universe would have perished. Billions upon billions of lives would have been blinked out of existence. So I ended it. I had to-" he sounded as though he were still trying to convince himself. "Calypso, I'm so sorry, but our people are gone."

The silence hung in the air as the meaning of what he said slowly sunk in.

"What?" Her voice was a harsh whisper. "How could you just- how can you end a _war_?" He swallowed, unwilling to answer the question, but the deafening silence was answer enough. He had done something terrible. And many people had died because of it. The hope she had felt, for the answers to her questions, was snuffed out like a candle in the rain. She suddenly couldn't breathe, feeling as though she had been physically struck.

"But- but I had a home. I had a family." Her voice trembled as she spoke, she couldn't remember them, but she knew if she had just been able to go back, she would have found them. She _knew_ they were real, and now they were gone. Dead. She shook her head, as though she might erase the words he had spoken. "Why? _Why?_" She whispered, tears filling her eyes once more. He had given her hope, and then he had snatched it all away.

"I'm so sorry," he looked desperate to make her understand. "If there had been any other way. I swear it. I would have given anything to have not done it." He pulled her hand toward him, gathering her in his arms as he hugged her. "I'm sorry." He leaned back and cupped her face, his brown eyes desperate for forgiveness, but she was too stunned, too broken to give it.

"I know," he nodded, seeing in her eyes that she couldn't. He stooped forward and kissed her cheek where her tears had fallen. "I'm sorry." He whispered again, his breath warm against her skin. She jerked back, startled at the intimate gesture.

"What are you doing?" She snatched her hand out of his grip, pressing herself further into the wall to escape his touch. How dare he touch her like that when her Anthony was gone, only recently torn from her. "Get away from me!"

"I'm sorry!" The Doctor looked just as startled as she, "I didn't mean- I forgot when this is for you."

"It's not his fault, love." Donna spoke soothingly, trying to assuage her anger over Gallifrey. "He was trying to help."

But she wasn't listening, she didn't want to hear her make excuses for this man, this _murderer_ who sat in front of her, who touched her as though he knew her. She leapt from the bed, pushing past the both of them. Her weak legs were shaky as she tried to run, and she stumbled, falling toward the green pulsing tube that she recognized from years ago.

"Sweetheart, it's alright!" Donna called after her, but she ignored her, keeping her eyes on the Doctor. He was the monster who terrified her now.

"Let us help you," he said, striding forward again, doing his best to calm her. "You're severely malnourished. We can get you fed, and set you on your way."

Her broken shoes snagged on the iron floors and she tumbled backward, she fell across the table, her hands scrabbling over the dials as she tried to catch herself. The floor shook and the room wheezed, but her eyes stayed locked on the man in front of her. He bent down to help her stand, but she shook her head vehemently.

"Dont! Don't touch me!" She shrieked, not even knowing why it was so important that he didn't.

"Alright," he said slowly, he stopped in his tracks and crouched down on the ground next to her. "I won't. I swear it. I'm sorry Calypso. It was my mistake. When we last met, we-" he shook his head, a pained smile flickered across his face. "We were friends. I didn't mean to upset you."

"What's happening?" Donna's voice was alarmed, from something more than Calypso's outburst. "Doctor, what's she doing?" The tingling had started again, it had been years since it had happened, and yet it was instantly familiar to her again. She raised her hands up and saw her flesh crawling with the same yellow flames. "Are you alright?" Donna looked between Calypso and the Doctor, unsure why neither of them appeared to be panicking.

The Doctor ran his hand over his face, finally looking at Donna, "She's going." He said quietly. He looked back at Calypso and she could see how much it had hurt him, to tell her about Gallifrey and the war. But there was more to it than that, the way he looked at her, like her rejection had struck him hardest.

"Going? Bloody going _where_?" Donna was nearly shouting now.

"I am sorry," he repeated, his gaze never wavering from Calypso's eyes. His hand reached out once more, but fell short when he remembered his promise. "Safe travels."

She could feel the misery radiating off of him, it was like a cloak she recognized from having worn so long. He was like her, completely alone. But she couldn't make herself forgive him, not yet. A frightened sob rose in her throat as her body became numb and the room around her faded. The last thing she saw was the Doctor's haunted eyes, and then the world disappeared completely.


	5. Tower of London

_A/N: Edited. 09/04/14_

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><p><strong>-1483-<strong>

**-Tower of London-**

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><p>Calypso was grateful for the mercifully cool interior of the castle as she went about completing chores. She did her best to keep the cobwebs and dust piles at bay in the long empty halls that overlooked the courtyard. She heard the boy's shouts down below and peered through the window, finding Edward and Richard sparring with wooden swords.<p>

Richard, the younger boy, struggled awkwardly as he swung at Edward, who corrected his stance like a tutor. She was glad to see the boys together, it had been lonely with Edward on his own, since the state had refuted his right to the crown. The whole country seemed to be in upheaval about the change, but Edward seemed happy to ignore it. And they were safe enough from the dangers of politics here inside the tower walls.

She smiled, glad his brother had arrived. She'd been just another faceless worker in the bustling castle a few months before, until she'd come across a little boy, weeping in the stairwell. It had been Edward, more boy than man at thirteen, lonely and afraid in the world. She'd seen her own hardships reflected in him, and made a special effort to seek him out during the day. Distracting him from his misery with her stories. Now she served as both a maid, and the boy's nurse, as no one had thought to provide them with one.

"Oh, you're a sight for sore eyes." The voice caused her to jump, realizing that instead of sweeping, she'd been staring out the window. A tall man had appeared behind her, grinning with a shock of floppy brown hair falling across his forehead. He wore nothing she recognized as court fashion, but they still appeared to be finely tailored fabrics. Dark trousers and a strange brown coat, with a bright red bow at his throat completing the outfit.

"I'm sorry," she realized she was being rude in her shock. "You startled me." She didn't address him properly, because she didn't recognize him as one of the visiting dignitaries.

"Yeah," his grin softened. "I tend to do that. I'm a proper space ninja. Come here," he crossed the distance between them hurriedly and before she thought to protest, his arms were wrapped around her in an embrace.

She thought it might be some sort of cultural difference as far as greetings went, and tried not to argue. Until his hand slid to her waist, and his other trailed up her neck, lifting her chin to meet his gaze. She felt her face flush as she was caught beneath his green eyes that matched the smile on his lips.

She'd heard stories about some of the aristocrats taking liberties with the workers, how it was somehow deemed less demeaning than paying the common prostitutes in the city. Fear rushed through her as she remembered, also, the stories of those who refused such advances. "Oh, I have _missed_ you." He murmured in a tone that she didn't quite expect, nor could she explain.

Then he leaned forward, pressing his warm lips against her own, breathing her in. She froze, afraid of what he might do. But his movements were gentle, and tender. It wasn't at all how she'd imagined the brutality the other maids had described. He deepened the kiss, his tongue probing past her lips as his fingers trailed down her throat where they burned like embers.

She jerked back and slapped him as hard as she dared. Her chest heaved and her thoughts raced. Perhaps if she ran now, she could disappear into the city before the guards were alerted. She ducked past him, ready to ignore the strange sensation of familiarity the man had with her and just _run_. But her broom had been forgotten on the floor, and it tangled between her legs, abruptly ending her flight.

"Calypso?" His voice was quiet, worried. "Are you alright?"

The question, along with his tone, was perplexing, and she found herself turning to face her attacker. There was no fury in his eyes, despite the blooming red spot on his cheek where she had struck him.

"I'm sorry, sir. But you had _no_ right." She shook her head, frightened tears coming unbidden to her eyes. If he knew her name, she could be found. All she could think of now were her dangling feet at the gallows. Once, that might have been a relief. But not here, and not now.

"No. No, of course not." He agreed as he knelt down, reaching out to help her stand. She scuttled backwards, clumsy movements putting distance between them. He raised his hands to allay her fears. "I'm sorry. I made a mistake."

She couldn't take her eyes off him, fear still coursing through her veins. She didn't know if she believed him, but he made no move to approach her again.

"Calypso," he said again, unnervingly knowing who she was. "Do you _know_ me?" The look in his eyes was earnest, almost pleading.

"Sir, I do _not_." Her voice warbled, but she fought back her tears. She didn't want this man knowing how frightened he had made her, or how frightened she still was. She clenched her jaw, willing herself to be stronger. "How is it you know of me?"

It looked as though she had struck him again, without moving at all. He smiled, but this time it was a shadow of the emotion he'd shown earlier. "Sorry," he whispered. "Wrong face, I suppose." He seemed to be talking to himself, because Calypso could make no sense of it. "Please don't cry, I can't bear it when you cry. I'm sorry." He tried again. "I didn't mean to frighten you. I thought…" he swallowed, and she felt a twinge of pity for this stranger, who looked as sad and lonely as Edward had when she'd found him huddled away on the stairs. "I thought you were someone else." He finished, clearing his throat. "That was completely out of line, I apologize. Here," he plucked up the broom and offered it as an olive branch to lift her from the ground where she was still sprawled.

She accepted it reluctantly, sniffing quickly, unsure of what to make of the stranger as he put the broom gently against the wall once she stood. "Are…are you going to report me, my lord?" She asked, her eyes focused intently on the floor.

"What?" He seemed appalled at the suggestion. "No. What kind of rubbish is that? Report you? No. Absolutely not." He became quite serious. "Is there someone here who does that? Are you being mistreated?" He searched her face carefully for an answer, a frown furrowing his brow.

"No," she shook her head. Bewildered by his questions, and his seeming concern. He was a very strange man. "I have just heard…stories."

"Yes, well." He straightened his red bow and tugged on his tunic importantly. "You just let me know if any of these 'stories' come to call. I'd like to have a little chat with them."

"Yes, sir." She said quickly. "Is there…something I _can_ help you with?" Perhaps if she made herself useful to him, he would be willing to overlook her offense.

"Well, I- Yes. As a matter of fact." He caught a glimpse of the boys down in the courtyard. "Tutoring, I'm here to do the tutoring. For the princes." He pointed, in case she didn't believe him. "The ones down there."

"Yes, I'm familiar." She nodded. It was one of the strangest encounters in her life, and she had led a very strange life.

"Uncle's very keen on keeping them sharp. And then the banquet later, love a good banquet. Will you be attending?" He asked innocently.

"No, sir." She couldn't help the skeptical look that came to her face. "The staff do not dine in the hall."

"Oh. Right. Staff. Why you've got the broom…thing, I suppose." He frowned. "That's a shame. Well," he clapped his hands together. "The tutoring. I'll just be off, to do. That." He gave a sharp nod, and the smile returned to his face as he winked. "See you around."

She managed to curtsy only after his back had turned, too flustered by the strange events to remember even her basic manners. She stared down the hall until he disappeared from view; his clothing still distractingly odd. She chewed her lip, absently remembering the warmth and strange tenderness she'd felt when the man had kissed her. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves; but it continued to bother her. There was something very odd about it all.

No one had called her Calypso in years. Not since that man with the strange blue box.

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><p>She carried a fresh pitcher of water up to the prince's chambers. It was later than she was meant to be in this part of the castle, but Richard had contracted a mild fever that afternoon, and she wanted to be sure he was properly cared for.<p>

He was still growing accustomed to his life in the castle. While his brother certainly made things easier, eight years old was an early age to be separated from ones mother.

She knocked at the door quietly before she entered, Edward had lit several more candles in the room than normal, giving it a welcoming yellowy glow. She suspected it was Richard's nagging fear of the dark that had caused him to do so, and she smiled to think that such a young boy was taking care of his brother.

"Thank you, Callie." Edward greeted her with a smile, certainly not the formal actions of a prince, but neither of them seemed to care for the pomp and pageantry of the nobles. But she wasn't likely to forget that she was not their equals in stature, especially after the incident with the strange man.

"Of course, my lords. How are you feeling?" She asked as she crossed the room to the large four poster bed where Richard lay, swathed in blankets. His blond hair stuck to his damp scalp, but he managed a smile.

"A little better," he swallowed as she placed the pitcher down, feeling his forehead. It was still warmer than she would have liked, but no worse. She soaked a rag with the cool water and placed it across his brow.

"Drink up," she said, pouring some of the water into a mug and handing it to him as she sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm sure it will be better in the morrow." She reassured him.

"Could you tell us a story?" Richard asked. "To help me sleep?" Edward climbed up on the bed, pretending to adjust his brother's pillows, but then he settled himself as well, clearly just as interested in listening.

"I suppose I could," she said with a smile. She hadn't known any of the stories she'd been told as a child, if she had been told any, and so she'd had to make them up. Mostly she made up stories about what her life might have been, but today she remembered a new story. One that wasn't entirely untrue. "Have I ever told you the legend of the blue box?"

"No," Richard's eyes were wide. "What's it about?"

"It's about a great wizard who saved the Sisters of Saint Ada with his blue box."

"A box?" Edward snorted. "Not very impressive for a wizard."

"Oh, but it _was_ impressive." She smiled at the memory of the box; it was like nothing she had ever seen before or since. The feeling of home and belonging when she'd touched it was a powerful memory that never left her thoughts entirely. "It was a _magical_ box. On the outside, it just looked like an ordinary wood box. Only big enough for one person to be tucked inside. But when the wizard opened the door, it was different. There was a whole other world inside that box."

Edward's mouth drooped as he tried to imagine such a thing.

"How?" Richard asked, his voice full of wonder.

"Well, that's easy. It's bigger on the inside." A familiar voice spoke behind her. "Because it's a _magic_ box. Pay attention, Richie."

"Doctor!" Edward cried out with a grin and Calypso looked over her shoulder to face the door. "Callie, this is our tutor. He taught us all about the sun today, and he didn't make it sound all stuffy and boring like my other tutors. He said it's a giant ball of burning gas that's hurtling through the sky. And if I stood on its surface, it'd melt my skin off!"

Calypso couldn't quite help the horrified face she'd made.

"Don't be ridiculous, Eddie. You'd burst into flames well before you made it to the surface." The man wavered slightly under the gaze of Calypso. "Well, I mean. That's not _all_ I taught them. There was the bit about quasars, and galactic lightning, and. Um. Other, general…_things._" He waved his hand vaguely. The words were confusing in themselves, but her concern was based on the fact that it was the same man who had kissed her before. He was casually leaning in the doorway, smiling warmly at her.

It was equally worrying to hear him referred to as the Doctor. It wasn't possible it was the _same_ Doctor, it just _wasn't_. At yet, somewhere in her mind, she very nearly thought it could be.

She was frozen in place as he entered the room and shut the door behind him. "Lovely to meet you, Callie." He said with a knowing grin. "I'm the Doctor." She just stared at him, unable to speak. He turned his attention from her and mercifully directed it at the boys. "Richie, my boy. How are you feeling?"

"Better," he said with a smile. "Callie was telling us a story about a wizard who's got a blue box."

"Oh, yes. Let's have that then." The Doctor hopped onto the corner of the bed and settled himself, crossing his hands over his lap.

"I-" She wasn't sure what she could say, or even if she believed the thoughts that were running through her mind. Surely it _couldn't_ be the same man, he looked entirely different. "Are you sure you don't know the tale?" She asked finally.

"Course I do. But I still like to hear you tell it." He grinned, his eyes glittering playfully. Both of the boys sat at attention, waiting for her to continue, so she had little choice.

"Well, there was a convent, a long time ago, not too far from where we sit now. And surrounding that, there was a large empty field. No one who crossed it ever lived to tell the tale, because in the middle, there was a giant hole so deep you could not see the bottom. And one day, the hole spit out a demon." The boys gasped audibly and the Doctor gave his own look of shock. "The demon was just a baby at first, so it fed on rats, and then foxes, and then chickens and goats. Before long, it grew so large that even a whole _cow_ was not enough to sate its growing appetite." Richard pulled the cover up to his chest.

"Oh, good," the Doctor grinned, rubbing his hands together gleefully. "Almost to the part with the wizard. My favorite!"

"Hush!" Edward shushed him, an intent look on his face. The Doctor feigned a sour look, but held his tongue just the same.

"So when there were no more animals in the field for it to feed on, it came to the convent. Each night, the Sisters prayed to be saved, but each night the demon tore at their stone walls, smashed their windows, and broke through their doors." Richard was nearly buried in his blankets now, and even Edward looked a little nervous. Calypso would have felt bad if she didn't know that they both constantly requested frightful stories to scare them. "And then, when the Sisters were barricaded in their cellar, with nowhere to retreat, the western winds billowed across the field. With it, came the blue box. It was brilliant like the deepest blue sky, and it flew down to the convent to save them."

"It flew?" Edward asked, his mouth opened wide.

"Oh yes, it soared through the clouds like the raven. Sweeping down to rescue them from the terrible demon."

With a loud BANG from behind them, they all jumped.

"Oh, right. Sorry." The Doctor was the only one who seemed unconcerned by the noise. Calypso turned to the door and saw that there was a chair wedged between the handle and the floor, keeping out whatever had slammed against it. "I was afraid of that. Good story, though you've forgotten the bit about the wizard rescuing the princess." He said with a raised eyebrow as he hopped off the bed. Another bang rattled the chair, but it held steady.

"A-all the Sisters were princesses." Calypso said.

"Yes, but one of them was _extraordinary_." He met her eyes with that same grin, the one that somehow needed no explanation.

The door shook again, the attacks growing louder as someone tried to fight their way through it.

"Who's there?" She asked loudly. She had no particular right to be in the boys room at this time of night, much less with a strange man, but nor should there be anyone else intruding.

"That'll be good ole Henry." The Doctor answered for her, pulling a metal stick from his pocket that cast a strange green glow from its end. She felt her heart pounding again, it wasn't the same, but then it resembled it so closely that it was impossible not to make comparisons. He aimed it at the door and it gave off an unusual whirring sound. "Yes, I believe they've hatched," he checked his gold wristband. "Right on time too. Alright everyone. Story time is over, who's up for a bit of a trot?"

"A trot?" She shook her head, standing up and putting herself between the bed and the door. "It's far too late, and Richard is sick. He can't go running about."

"Well, the bad news is he's about to be _much_ worse than sick if he stays here." The Doctor spun around, ignoring the door, his head bobbing as though he were searching for something.

"How much worse?"

"_Dead_ worse. So…" He turned back to look at her. "The _worst_. I guess." The door splintered inward with another bang, still holding, but not for much longer.

Calypso's mouth felt dry as she watched him crawling around on the floor, pointing the glowing device at various points. "What's the good news?" She asked, her eyes drawn back to the door.

"The good news is that I've got a plan- Mostly. It's more of a plan in progress, but it's definitely _something_. I can do an awful lot with _something_."

She opened her mouth to argue, but the door groaned once more, and suddenly gave way with a crash.


	6. Tower of London Part 2

**-1483-**

**-Tower of London-**

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><p>The door shattered as he burst through it and all the candles flickered in the dark. She recognized him, the Duke of Buckingham, friend and confidant to the king himself. But there was madness in his eyes that she couldn't explain, something that made her want to curl up into a ball and cry. He grinned as he saw her, his eyes flicked to the princes then and he started to lumber in their direction. Before she knew what came over her, she smashed the pitcher across his face with all of her strength. His forward momentum carried him a step further but his eyes rolled back in his skull, she swung around once more with the badly dented jug and cracked it over his head, causing him to collapse in a heap.<p>

"Blimey, good shot!" She jumped as the Doctor congratulated her. "Never doubted you for a second."

"Is…is he dead?" She asked as he was slowly helping her pry her fingers from what was left of the pitcher.

"No, no. Not at all. Actually, he'll recover from that rather quickly. And then the parasites will adapt so it won't be so susceptible to that kind of attack. So if we stick around much longer, we're almost definitely in very serious trouble." She stared at him, horrified. Whatever hope she had of him telling her everything was going to be alright was quickly dashed. "But! You're forgetting the good news. Go ahead, ask me the good news." He smiled brilliantly but she couldn't quite stop looking at the body on the floor.

"What's the good news?" She finally forced, sounding hollow even to herself.

"The good news, Calypso," He said, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and leading her away from the door. "Is that I've found a way out." He gave her an encouraging smile. "Isn't that good news? Yeah, you look a little frazzled. Totally understandable. That was a lot to take in. But that's okay, you can do it. You're strong, so I'm just going to need you to hold on a bit longer."

"You're mad." She shook her head.

"Yeah," He smirked. "But you like that. We need to get these boys to safety; do you think you can do as I ask until we do that?" He searched her eyes for confirmation and her own gaze flicked over to where Edward and Richard stood huddled together, looking as frightened as she felt. She swallowed and looked back to the Doctor, nodding quickly. He grinned as he recognized her resolve. "Atta girl. Now, off we go." He returned to the far side of the room and pulled back a tapestry that hung from the wall, revealing a tunnel.

"Where will we go?" She frowned. It didn't matter if they escaped this room, if the Duke of Buckingham was after them; it was likely the king wanted them dead. There were few places to hide from that kind of power.

"I thought we might try that well in the courtyard." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Interesting in that it doesn't actually provide any source of water. So as far as well's go, it's pretty useless. Might as well call it a 'bad' or a 'poor'." She had lost him in his ramblings again. He shook his head once, "No matter! I think it's a way out. Now, onward." He waved the boys through first and then bowed to Calypso. "Ladies first." He said with a smile. As the man on the floor groaned behind him the good humor on his face faded. "Though, quicker, might in fact, be better." She didn't have any desire to meet the monster behind the Duke again and she gave up all sense of dignity, crawling through the filthy tunnel as fast as she could. The tunnel took them all the way to an opening on the far side of the wall; it was a dimly lit room that opened up, an ancient stair that had been abandoned years ago. Edward and Richard both stood at the top step, looking down into the darkness.

"Stopping is not good! Stopping is extremely not good!" The Doctor called from behind them as he stood up, trying to dust off his sleeves, creating a cloud around him that caused him to sneeze tremendously. "Shh!" He warned them.

"It's too dark," She whispered. "We'll surely break our necks."

"Ah, right then. Let there be light!" He said as he pulled a pole from his pocket, it flickered to life like a candle but appeared to have no flame. "Into the abyss." He said with a smile as he led them down the stairs, breaking up the cobwebs as he went. The dust was thick under their feet and they had to make their way carefully so as not to trip and tumble to their deaths. When they at last reached the bottom, she heard the Duke howl above them, his voice loud enough for her to suspect that he had also found the passage they had escaped through. An old rotting door blocked their way now, the light just illuminating the darker shade of wood against stone. The Doctor threw his shoulder against it a few times, unsuccessful in doing much but stirring up more dust and sucking it into their lungs. Calypso's eyes were locked on the last step that she could see within the glow of the Doctor's light, terrified that any moment, a dark lumbering shape would appear, throwing himself down the remaining stairs to reach them.

"Oh, hurry," She whispered. "Please hurry, Doctor."

He stopped his run at the door and turned to her. "You called me Doctor." He smiled. She looked back at him, briefly ignoring her vigilant watch of the stairs.

"That is what you said your name was."

"Yes, I did. Do you believe me?" He closed the gap between them, searching her gaze in a way that made her feel completely vulnerable.

"I…I don't know." She responded, knowing exactly what he was asking her. He had a different face, how could it be the same man? Perhaps he had earned it like a title, passed through the lines. But somehow, she doubted that was the case. Her mind drifted to the kiss from earlier in the day and wondered what that had meant if she did believe him.

"That's alright," He relaxed his gaze and smiled. "You'll get it sorted." The man gave an almost animalistic roar from above them, much louder as it echoed down the stairs. It had cleared the passage. "Right!" The Doctor tore his gaze from her and returned to the task at hand. "Here we go!" He lifted his leg and kicked at the door as hard as he could, with a shuddering groan it flew open. "Hah! Got that from Donna. Boyfriends indeed." He smirked, adjusting the tie around his neck. "Let's run!"

She didn't need a second invitation and neither did the boys as they took off across the grass lawn outside. She just had time to notice that the Doctor had clasped her hand in his own, pulling her along at his side. They dashed up to where the broken well stood, the Doctor tearing off the lid as soon as he arrived. He peered down into the shadows and a foolhardy look crossed his face.

"Alright boys, down you go!" He ushered them forward, but they both looked up at him, unconvinced. "Oh go on, there's a pile of dead branches down there, you'll be perfectly safe. Trust me, I've done it. Make sure you roll when you hit the bottom, so we don't land on you. That'd be bad." He warned. Edward finally nodded his head resolutely and turned to Richard.

"Come on, you first." He helped the boy climb over the side of the well, giving him a reassuring smile as he encouraged him to jump. Richard's eyes were wide with fear as he did so, but he trusted his brother and leapt from the stone ledge. Calypso's hand flew to her mouth as she watched him fall, rushing to the lip too late to stop his descent.

"You alright, Richie?" The Doctor called down below, a long beat of silence followed his voice.

"Yeah, I'm alright." They heard the small voice call back. "It's dirty down here."

"Excellent! Just roll out of the way so we won't smash your head, right? Your turn." The Doctor said excitedly. Edward didn't hesitate and hopped over the side; before he had disappeared, the Doctor was climbing over the edge. He gave her a wild grin before pushing himself forward and crying out, "Geronimo!" His voice echoed the whole way down the well. Calypso's heart was in her throat, she didn't think she could do this. Jumping off a cliff edge into the darkness. With an angry bellow she turned to see the creature that had once been a man had finally cleared the door, it saw her escaping and took off at a run, it's legs powering it faster than she thought possible.

"Oh God." She whispered as she spun to the far side of the well, watching him rush toward her. Her fingers clenched against the stone and still she couldn't make herself climb over.

"Callie?" She heard the Doctor's voice call from below. "You're got to jump." The thing roared again, louder and it echoed down through the well. "Get out of there!" He shouted.

"I can't." She cried, her legs were rooted to the spot as the mad man closed the distance between them. It was coming to get her, and she couldn't force herself to do anything but watch it.

"Calypso, listen to me." His voice was very calm then, rising up from the darkness. "You've got to jump. It's alright. You'll be safe, but you have to jump _now._" She shook her head, tears threatening to spill from her eyes for the second time that day. "Trust me," He said in that soothing tone of his. "I'm the Doctor."

She could see the Duke's beady eyes in the dim light now, he was so close, she could see them grinning at her. She took a deep breath and hurtled herself over the wells edge, her eyes shut tightly against the gloom that would swallow her. Before she could fall, a hand grasped at her and she screamed. The Duke had caught her shoulder, causing her to swing to the side and slam painfully into the stone wall.

"Calypso!" The Doctor shouted from below, his calm demeanor shattered. She heard that odd whistling, and felt her sleeve tear; the Duke released her, dropping her down into the dark tunnel. Time slowed as she fell, tumbling down into the black, and then, with a flash, everything was gone.

* * *

><p>She woke to a bright yellow light streaming at her eyelids, and a rather angry headache. She lifted herself and groaned, the pulsing came from the front of her skull where a tender exploration revealed a large bump against her scalp.<p>

"Up and about, are we?" She heard the Doctor's voice from somewhere and she finally forced her eyes open. It was a room of madness, the walls glowed a coppery orange, and all of it was iron, steel, and glass. It wasn't the same as she remembered it, and yet she could feel it humming around her like an old friend. The Doctor knelt down to her level and grinned, holding a white bundle out for her. "Got some ice for that bump." He nodded to where her hand still cupped against her forehead. She accepted it and felt that the towel was refreshingly cold before placing it against her head.

"Where…" She had to cough to clear her throat; she had been out of it longer than she previously thought. "Where are the princes?" She searched the room but could see no sign of them. Her eyes shot toward the Doctor, alarm threatening to overtake her.

"Funny story, that." He offered her a hand, which she accepted, and he pulled them both up. Despite her alarm, she couldn't help but notice his hand lingered in her grasp longer than necessary. In fact, he continued to hold it until she looked down at it with a frown. He snatched it back and adjusted his thick brown coat. "This well, was actually an inter-dimensional wormhole. It's linked to a completely different time and point in space. I had thought they all closed up," He grinned to himself, like he had discovered some sort of treasure. "Anyway, you'll never guess where it took us." He tapped her shoulder playfully. "Go on then, guess. It's no fun if you don't guess."

"Beyond the river?" She asked, a bewildered look on her face.

"No," He grinned wider. "Ohio!"

"Ohio?" She tried out the word, but it felt strange in her mouth.

"Yes, Dayton, Ohio. To be exact. Found a lovely little family there, call themselves the Wright's." He seemed pleased about something. "Rubbish with names though, Orville? Wilbur? Silly. Anyway, they're all sorted. Said to give you their best. They're going to grow up and have, oh, just _loads_ of fun." He clapped his hands together with a smile.

"And the Duke?" She asked. "Is he…dead?" She was unsure if that was what she hoped was true. Though the ache from the bump on her head was starting to sway her.

"No, not dead. Actually, the wormhole was giving off a ridiculous amount of void radiation. It happened to be poisonous to the parasitic spawn that had hatched in his brain. He did fall down the well, but he's perfectly fine. Probably will wake up with less of a headache than you." She shot him a look and he shrugged. "Well, I'm sure he's going to suffer, anyway. In fact, I know he will. Not too far now."

"Well, that's good to know." She sighed.

"Yes. Quite." He stood there awkwardly, now that he had run through his explanations, he seemed unsure of what else to say. "Calypso, may I see your necklace?" She looked at him strangely, her hand drawing unconsciously to her throat.

"I'm not sure what you mean."

His own hand went to his pocket, producing a silver thread with several pearls hanging from it. "This doesn't look familiar to you at all?" But she just shook her head.

"Should it?"

"You gave it to me." He smiled sadly. "A long time ago. Well," He sighed. "A long time ago for me, apparently in your future."

"You speak like him." She finally admitted in a small voice. "Talking about the past and the future. About things like wormholes, and parasites. Ohio. Strange things."

"I've told you about time traveling then?"

"Yes," Her eyes fell to the floor, remembering. "You also told me about my home, and…" She had to swallow; she hadn't thought it would still hurt, to admit that it was gone. "And how you-" She couldn't make the words come to her mouth and they stood there in silence for a while. She wasn't sure she had it within her to truly forgive him. Because of him, she knew she had once had a home, and because of him, it was gone. There were no answers for her to find. She didn't know if she was still angry with him either though, could she blame him for something she really knew so little about?

"I destroyed it." He spoke so softly she wasn't positive he had said it. "Gallifrey." He spoke the word like an old wound. She looked up at him then, but his back was turned to her, his arms leaning against the center table. His shoulders were hunched with an invisible weight dragging down on them. She couldn't help herself as she crossed the strange room, her boots echoing off the hard surface of the floor. He didn't look up as she approached but she could see his face was twisted with old anger and frustration. She recognized that in herself. She placed her hand over his, gently, hoping to relieve some of that burden. He did notice then, looking up at her with gratitude in his eyes.

"You were very cross with me." He managed a smile, remembering.

"So it is you." She said the statement as fact, she had believed, but saying it made it true.

"Yes, it's me. New face." He pulled a hand across his jaw, unwilling to move the one she had pinned between the table and her own.

"You can do that?" She asked, it wasn't the craziest thing she had heard that day.

"If I'm injured. I can regenerate. New body."

"Can I do that?" She asked him, remembering that she shared his home planet, a world of impossible things.

"No," He shook his head, finally facing her. "We're not the same. You do live an extraordinarily long time. If you're injured, I was led to believe that you travel to the medusa cascade, and you use the vortex energy to repair yourself. Of course, those were just stories. Our people didn't…get along very well. I'm sorry to say." He did seem sorry as he spoke, and she wondered if it had more to do with the war, and the destruction of Gallifrey. "Hang on a minute." He said, finally with a real smile. He left her in the center, disappearing down below and rustling through bins in a seemingly random pattern. "Ah, beautiful." He said, returning with his hands full of all sorts of things. He held out a black strand for her, except it wasn't quite string, it was stiffer than thread and it held its shape as he molded it into a circle. "How many times have we met before this?" He asked her, excitement bubbling in her eyes.

"It's…twice. I've met you twice." She did her best not to think too closely on the last visit, when she had lost everything and everyone she had cared about.

"Excellent, so this will make three." He pulled three glittering beads from his hand, they shone like silver and reflected the light around them, he put them on the black line. He bent over her, hooking the necklace around her throat and she couldn't help the way her heart tumbled to her stomach, his face so close to hers again. She could breathe him in and he smelled like the outside, the salty ocean breeze and the rain coming in. It briefly overwhelmed her and she felt her eyes fluttering closed as he stepped back. "Now we've both got one. You're at three, and I'm at," He looked down at the strand in his own hand. "Sixteen." He smiled at her, letting his free hand drift down to hold hers again.

"Sixteen?" She swallowed, but now the fluttering in her stomach wasn't just from his presence, it was deeper than that. She was slipping away.

"Yeah, so you've got something to look forward to." He grinned down at her and that time the butterflies had everything to do with him.

"I think I'm going," She whispered sadly, as he opened her palm, dropping more of the cold heavy beads in her hand, and then he pressed her fingers closed over them.

"I know," He pulled her into a tight hug. She didn't understand why, but her eyes began to prick with tears. "I'll see you soon, Calypso." He breathed into her ear, the sensation sending a shiver down her spine until she could feel nothing at all. She had one last glimpse of those sad hazel eyes before the world around her vanished and she was gone.


	7. Milan

**A/N:** **Thank you so much for the faves from everyone! And extra thanks for the reviews! You people are the glitter to my vampire! No, no that was terrible. You're awesome! I'm always excited to get reviews! Keep em coming! Even suggestions for improvement are welcomed!** **This one is a bit short, and well. Mostly fluff. But I'm still working on it! Promise!**

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><p><strong>-1490-<strong>

**-Milan-**

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><p>"Calypso!" She heard her name over the turmoil of the market. A smile spread to her lips and she ignored the haggling shopkeeper that she had been so focused on before. She knew that voice, though it had been a long while since she had heard it. The last time she had met <em>him<em> she had been furious, she wondered nervously if that was what he would remember. But her most recent meeting with the Doctor had been an older version of the man, she still struggled to get a grasp on that concept and she wasn't entirely sure she had been successful. That had been even more confusing as he had seemed like a stranger to her, and yet he had been _very_ familiar with her.

She shrugged away those thoughts and turned, there he was. Wearing a long brown coat that hung like a cape and a dark blue suit. If he had remembered their last fight, he didn't show it. He grabbed her up in his arms and spun her around in the air, wearing that ridiculous grin of his.

"Oh it's good to see you!" She laughed and found she felt the same way, she had let go of that anger, years before. Accepting that the past was the past, unless you were a time traveler…but she didn't linger long with those thoughts. Her feet kicked in the air as he carried her back behind the stalls so that the shopkeeper might stop staring at them so peculiarly.

"It's good to see you too," She found herself returning his big grin. She had to admit, she felt less alone when he was around. Just knowing there was someone else in the universe who knew exactly what she was going through was more than a relief. He finally set her down against the wall and buried his face in her neck, his sideburns ticking against her cheek. But he seemed to have something else in mind than hugging when she felt his breath warm against her throat. Her heart hammered in her chest as she felt his lips lead a trail of soft kisses up along her jaw. She struggled to keep breathing as he stepped back to moisten his lips with a smile, his intense brown eyes stared back at her, rooting her to the spot. It held a strange power over her and she didn't quite protest when he closed his eyes and kissed her. She felt his hand draw up the back of her neck, hitting a sensitive spot she had forgotten was there and she shivered. She thought she might lose herself forever to this mad man, and she wasn't entirely sure she minded. That was when her nerves got the better of her and she stepped back for a breath.

"Um…Doctor…" She said, her voice shaking.

"Mm?" He didn't seem bothered by the break and had turned his attention to the other side of her throat.

"Do you have the necklace?" It was getting harder to focus on what she wanted to say instead of how his mouth felt against her skin.

"Oh," He breathed, pausing and moving back slowly. He placed his palms on the wall behind her, almost as if pushing himself away. His eyes lost their intensity and he refocused on her, looking sheepish. "Blimey," He sighed. "I've gone and done it again, haven't I?"

"This," She pulled out her strand so she could avoid staring directly into his eyes. "It'll be the fourth time." Only three silver beads hung from the black necklace.

He bit his bottom lip, letting out a slow hissing breath. "This'll be luck thirteen for me." He stepped back and ran his hand over his face, looking incredibly guilty. "Calypso, I'm so sorry." She felt bad then, and almost considered telling him that she thought about not stopping him. Almost. She didn't like where that line of thinking took her. Or, more realistically, she didn't like that she _did_ like where that thought was leading. She had lost her Jonathan, and it had nearly killed her. She didn't plan to make that mistake again; she didn't think she could take it.

"Oi! Get a room you two!" Donna called from behind them, a smirk on her face.

"Donna," The Doctor straightened from the wall and put a comfortable distance between the two of them. "Don't be daft; we've only met a few times."

Donna looked between the two of them and snorted. "Found that out about five minutes too late, did you?"

"Donna," The Doctor warned her with a frown but Donna just laughed it off.

"What? It's not my fault you've got no sense, space man. Callie, it's great to see you again." Donna pulled her into a tight hug and Calypso did her best not to respond awkwardly. But then Donna was grabbing her face with both hands and making loud smooching noises.

"Donna, don't…don't do that." The Doctor shook his head and held the bridge of his nose like he was trying to scold a child.

"What?" She shot him a look. "She's going to find out anyway." She turned back to Calypso with an innocent stare. "I can't stand it any longer, you have to know. We're meant to be together," She gushed, clasping her hands together under her chin. She looked back to the Doctor and leaned in to whisper. "You and me, we, well. We run away together." She jerked her thumb back at the Doctor who just rolled his eyes. "We tell ol' skin and bones to sod off and we go traveling the stars on our own. It's brilliant, seeing the eagle nebula glittering in your eyes." Donna batted her eyelashes adoringly and Calypso was overcome with laughter. "See?" She looked back to the Doctor, looking quite smug. "What you _need_, is charisma. I've got it in spades." She dusted invisible dirt away from her shoulder. "How many times have we met, my sweet?" She asked Calypso, her voice deepening to sound seductive.

"Twice," Calypso was struggling to keep herself from snorting. "Though, I wasn't very nice last time." She tried to sound apologetic.

"Hear that? First date. Already got her fantasizing about traveling the stars with me." If it were possible, Donna looked even more pleased with herself. "Charisma, Doctor. Something your little time lord brain just isn't capable of."

"Yes, Donna. I can see that now." The Doctor couldn't help smirking at Donna as she strode down the alley, strutting like a model. Calypso found herself staring at him as he watched Donna, a strange feeling tremored in her stomach when she thought of that man. She wasn't entirely sure Donna was correct in her assessment of the Doctor's shortcomings. He turned back to her then, still smiling about Donna and caught her staring. Blood rushed to her face and she furiously tried to stomp down whatever silly thoughts she was having. It was made worse by the knowing grin that slowly spread across the Doctor's face.

"Let's go then, allons-y!" Donna yelled from the end of the street. "You promised me a genius!"

"Come on then," He said kindly, offering his hand to Calypso while she did her best to push away thoughts of how those fingers had felt roaming around her scalp. "Let's go meet Da Vinci."


	8. Milan Part 2

**-1490-**

**-Milan-**

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><p>The genius's workshop was a disaster. Scraps of paper were thrown all about, broken models hung from the ceiling, and it seemed like everything was covered in a thin layer of dust; which was perplexing the Doctor.<p>

"Not much of a housekeeper, is he?" Donna looked unimpressed with the mess around them.

"Donna, the man's a _genius_. One of _the_ most brilliant minds of the century, one of the most brilliant minds _ever_. He came up in a time when religion dictated the world order, and he turned it around. He used his mind and science to make sense of it all. I think we can let him slide a little."

"S'cuse me," Donna snorted. "Didn't know you and Leo were a couple." Donna stuck her tongue out at the Doctor and Calypso did her best to stifle her own laughter. She had heard plenty about Da Vinci; he was a favorite to the Duke and not to be trifled with. He sounded like an odd man, usually buried in his workshop, experimenting with designs or paintings. It didn't look like he accomplished much though, as she surveyed the area. She wasn't sure what made him so special, and the workshop looked deserted. A low voice distracted them all, coming from somewhere above their heads.

"What's that?" Donna asked, her voice quiet.

"I dunno," The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Let's have a look." He said as he headed for the stairs. It became clear that the voice was repeating a chant, as they got closer, not what Calypso had hoped to hear. As they reached the attic, the smell of burning wax and incense was thick in their nose, along with an underlying stench that made Calypso pull her hand up to her face.

There were hundreds of candles in the center of the room, forming a large circle around a body. It lay spread out on the floor and very much appeared to be dead. An old man sat hunched at the edge of the circle, rocking and chanting quietly. He held a rosary in his hands and Calypso suddenly realized that the entire room was filled with decorative crosses, religious verses had also been painted onto the floor beneath the candles, forming another circle.

"What was that you were saying about science?" Donna asked, her smug look somewhat ruined by the hand that covered her face. "What _is _that stink-" She stopped as she finally recognized the body on the floor and halted any further steps she was going to take into the room.

"Well," The Doctor drawled. "I suppose we all have our quirks."

"Some more than others?"

"Who are you?" The old man had finally noticed their presence and stopped his chanting. "What are you doing here?"

"Just…taking in the view…" The Doctor faltered. "Leonardo, I presume?" The man gave a curt nod. "That's swell, lovely to meet you. I'm the Doctor. Is that a dead body you've got there?" He strode closer to the circle.

"Yes," Leonardo eyed them all suspiciously. "Are you from the church?"

"Erm, no. We're from," The Doctor stuffed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a paper badge. "We're from the morgue, just making sure you aren't…spreading disease."

"Oh, well perhaps this will interest you then." Leonardo finally started to let a smile creep across his face. "This body yet lives; it has been imbibed with the spirit of the living." His words sounded feverish even to Calypso who had heard her fair share of madness.

"Is 'genius' time lord code for 'complete nutter'?" Donna asked innocently.

"Donna, I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation-" The Doctor waved her concerns away, though there was serious doubt in his eyes. "There's all sorts of…theories about where artistic genius comes from-"

But he was cut off when the body suddenly gasped; blue light swirled around it for a moment and then seemed to dive in through the mouth. The body's chest started to rise and fall like it was breathing. And then it was moving, rising from its supine position on the floor.

"It lives!" Da Vinci cried out victoriously with a satisfied grin on his face.

"Or…" The Doctor stared in shock. "He's just raised the dead."

"Is it always like this?" Calypso finally found her voice, surprised that neither the Doctor nor Donna had run screaming from the room. The only thing that had prevented her was sheer terror; she was rooted to the spot.

"I have created life!" Da Vinci laughed and clapped his hands in the air, clearly impressed with the creature as it lurched to its feet.

"Well, no." The Doctor looked over his shoulder at Calypso guiltily. "Not really."

"And by that he means, yes. Yes really. All the time." Donna shook her head. "Da Vinci raising the dead? Honestly, it's like you _cause_ the trouble!" She rolled her eyes at the Doctor. He shot her a look but didn't deny it either. Instead, he pulled the small blue torch from his pocket and started to point it at the body, causing the torch to whistle.

"Huh," He said, bringing the torch up to his face and looking grave. "Wasn't expecting that again."

"What is that?" Calypso asked, realizing that he wasn't using the torch to provide light in the room filled with candles.

"The Gelth, they're an ancient race from the Draxious system. They-" He stopped and looked over his shoulder at Calypso who had her eyes focused on the blue torch. "Oh, this? This is my sonic screwdriver." He twirled it up in the air and caught it. They all jumped when the man tried to leap from the circle of candles, but he was stopped by an invisible wall, falling back to its knees once again. "How did it do that?" The Doctor pulled out a pair of black spectacles and peered at the air around the circle.

"The candles," Leonardo pronounced with a knowing nod. "They keep him contained. I could not just let him wander about outside."

"Well, maybe he's just short of completely off his nut." Donna shrugged her shoulders.

"No," The Doctor said, making a wide path around the circle. "It's some kind of containment field, something keeping the Gelth trapped, not only in the circle, but in the body." He spun around the room and scanned with his screwdriver again. "But where's the rift? Where are they getting through?"

"Gelth?" Donna scowled. "You mean there's an alien in that…thing?" She exclaimed, more concerned with that then the idea that the dead had reanimated.

"Well, yes. It uses the gasses in the body, as it decomposes it's possible to replace-" He paused just long enough to recognize the sour look on both Calypso and Donna's faces. "They used to have physical form, but now they can take others. But the Gelth are trapped in the void, so I don't understand why they're _here_."

"Well who told you that?" Donna asked with her arms crossed over her chest.

"No one told me. I was there when it happened." He scowled at the circle, looking for what it was he was missing.

"Well, you did a real crack job, professor!"

"Oi, I don't remember you being there to offer any help." The Doctor said in his defense.

"Um…" Calypso felt her voice falter, she wasn't terribly interested in interrupting their argument, but something was bothering her. She couldn't look at the man, the _creature_, it was too horrifying. Its eyes were completely white save for two small dark pupils that gave her the worst sense of dread when they crossed over her. So she had been focusing intently on the floor and the circle of candles. Beneath the candles had been the painted verses, following the same round pattern. But she had noticed that when the man moved, the paint flickered. She thought it was a trick of the candlelight, but there was no breeze to disturb the flames in the room.

"Well maybe if I had, space man, we could have a normal trip for once in your long life!"

"Doctor!" Calypso called resolutely this time, certain she had seen it. It wasn't just flickering either, it was _glowing_, the same blue color that had appeared around the man when he first rose.

"Yes Calypso?" He asked with a sigh, trying to remove the annoyance from his voice.

"The paint," She pointed to the floor. "When he moves, the paint is flickering."

"Paint?" He started to turn back to the circle. "What paint?" He followed the direction of her pointing finger and tilted his head. "Oh," He said, surprised, watching it for a moment before he too saw the color flicker. "Oh, that's interesting." He dropped down to his hands and knees, pressing his cheek against the floorboards, making his eyes parallel to the paint.

"What is it, Doctor?" Donna seemed to be focused again on the fact that there was a dead man in the room. He dragged his finger through the letters and licked his finger once, tasting carefully.

"There's void dust in this…" He peered at Da Vinci curiously before jumping back up to his feet. "Have you been seeing ghosts? Phantoms?"

"Of course not, I'm no madman." Da Vinci scoffed at him. "I haven't believed in such things since I was a child. This is not a ghost, this is _real._" He said, pointing dramatically to the man who paced the circle now.

"Yes, it is." The Doctor frowned biting his tongue. "But why is it coming through? How can the Gelth be here without the rift?" The Doctor rapped his knuckles against his head. "Think, think!" He commanded himself.

"This is the next step in modern science!" Da Vinci seemed convinced. "We will live forever, and I have discovered it!"

"No," Donna shook her head disbelieving. "There's no way, cause I've never seen anything like this." She looked to the Doctor for confirmation. "There ain't walking dead in the future, Tell 'im, Doctor."

"Time is always in flux, Donna." He said in a very non-reassuring tone. "But when I last ran into the Gelth, they didn't just want to use bodies. They wanted to take over the planet. Why is this one different? Who are you? What do you want?" He finally turned and asked the man in the circle. He blinked slowly and opened his mouth, taking a moment before remembering he could speak.

"_Lost_." He said, the voice as unearthly as anything Calypso had heard.

"It can talk!" Donna seemed horrified at the prospect.

"Lost? How are you lost? Where are the other Gelth? Where are your people?" The Doctor ignored Donna for the time being.

"_The War._" It whispered. "_We were destroyed._"

"Yes, yes." The Doctor waved his answer away. "I know that bit. But you survived as spirits, why are you here alone?"

"_Small crack._" It spoke slowly, as though remembering. "_Was afraid. Ran._"

"There's more of them?" Calypso asked, unsure that she really wanted to know.

"No," The Doctor spoke over his shoulder. "Well, yes. But not here. Not now."

"You're telling me there's more alien zombies out there somewhere?" Donna nearly shrieked.

"Not the time, Donna." The Doctor warned her. "Leo, can I call you Leo?" He put his arm around the man's shoulder. "When you said you hadn't believed in those things since you were a child, do you mean that you just grew out of it, or did you actually _see_ something when you were little?"

"Well," Leonardo shrugged. "All children have a wild imagination; it's no more than a phase…" He frowned at the Doctor. "Who are you people _really_? The morgue does not employ women. They've not the stout for it."

"Oi, I'll stout you, old man!" Donna started forward with her fist raised but the Doctor held out his hand pleadingly.

"Donna, Donna, it's alright. No need for stouting. Now," He turned back to Leonardo when he was certain that she wasn't about to start a fight with the original Renaissance man. "I'm the Doctor, and you're going to need my help. So why don't you just tell me what you remember?"

He looked as though he wasn't going to answer for a moment, a frown etching deep lines into his face. But he at last gave a long sigh and relaxed. "I was just a child." He shrugged. "I, like many boys my age, was prone to fancies about having an imaginary friend." The Doctor nodded encouragingly. "It was while I lived with my mother, but when I left for my father's estate, I left those fantasies behind. What does it matter?"

"Oh, it may matter a great deal." The Doctor said very seriously. "Did it ever ask you to do anything? Ever had an unusual experience?"

"Not that I recall…" He frowned.

"Um, Doctor…" Donna called from the stairs, sounding afraid. Calypso looked to see what was bothering her. The Gelth seemed also to have lost interest in what the Doctor was saying and it stood at the edge of the circle, holding its hand palm faced out. She saw that it was facing toward a corner of the room where a few paintings were stacked against the wall, and then one of them shook. She thought she had imagined it when it wobbled again, tilting so far that it fell flat on the floor and she flinched.

"Did you do anything different before? Do you remember any changes?" The Doctor was still too busy questioning Da Vinci to have heard Donna's voice.

"I don't know," He shook his head. "I suppose that was when I started to paint, as my father planned on educating me in the arts."

"That might be something…" The Doctor frowned, scratching his head thoughtfully. "But what?"

"Doctor!" Donna had backed almost to the stairs, watching the painting as it slid across the floor and toward the man in the circle.

"Thinking, Donna, need quiet." He held his hand up for silence and then looked up. "What's that noise?" He turned to them with a queer look on his face.

"I think your zombie friend is doing something…" She pointed as the painting knocked over the candles and slid into the man's hands.

"_We are free._" The man turned the painting over in his hand and grinned. He tucked the canvas under his arm, stepped across the broken barrier of candles, and started to march toward the stairs.

"Donna, get out of there!" The Doctor shouted, seeing that she was between the creature and his ultimate goal. Donna hesitated, her mouth open in shock as the creature lumbered forward. Calypso felt her muscles release for a second as she dove forward and snagged Donna's arm, dragging her back from the stairs as the man approached. He bared his teeth and hissed at them as he walked past, but they were beyond his reach and he didn't seem interested in chasing them. Instead, he focused on the stairs and they all watched as the figure disappeared down below.

"Did we just let the alien zombie escape?" Donna asked, finally snapping out of her stunned silence. "Did we just let the _naked_ alien zombie escape?"

"Yeah," The Doctor said with a frown. "That's not going to end well."


	9. Milan Part 3

**A/N: Thank you everyone for reading! And thanks to everyone who reviews, faves, watches! Kate! You're awesome! Two gold stars for you! This turned out a bit longer than I meant, ah well. That's what happens when I get carried away.**

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><p><strong>-1490-<strong>

**-Milan-**

"Well? Are we planning on doing anything about it?" Donna stared at the Doctor.

"The paint." He clenched his teeth together, pacing the length of the room. "Why is it the paint?"

"He. Is getting. Away." Donna pointed to the stairs where they had last seen him.

"Yes, thank you Donna." He ran his hands through his hair, looking completely frustrated. "We've got to figure out how to close the rift first. They're incredibly strong and impossible to stop. He'll kill us if we get in the way."

"Well," Donna let her mouth hang open a minute. "That's just swell."

"What about the people?" Calypso asked in a small voice. "Doctor, there's people out there."

The Doctor gave her a long look and sighed. "I don't know what to do. I'm sorry. They should be alright if they stay out of his way."

"Hope no one tries to knick the painting then." Donna gave an unhappy frown.

"The painting," He crossed the room and stared at Donna. "He took the painting. Why did he do that?" He pinched his fingers together as though he were trying to pluck his thoughts from the air. "Ah! The painting!" He announced so loudly they all jumped.

"Yes, we got that part." Donna rolled her eyes.

"It's not just the painting, it's the paint. But…" He ran around, scanning all the paintings with his screwdriver. "It's not the paint either," He said with a grin.

"Are you just talking yourself in circles?" Donna asked, annoyed.

"It's you!" He pointed to Da Vinci, who looked startled. "You're the rift! You grew up next to that tiny hole in the universe, it fed into you. You absorbed it into yourself. And when you paint, you access that same part of your mind. Opening up the rift, giving it a chance to come through!"

"Then why hasn't it gotten out yet? Da Vinci's been painting forever, why ain't there zombies in the Sistine chapel?" Donna had her hands on her hips and looked skeptical.

"Well, one." The Doctor put up his finger. "Hasn't happened yet, and two, that was Michelangelo." He raised an eyebrow at her. "Honestly Donna, read a book." The Doctor chided her.

"Michelangelo, that…that pompous toddler!" Da Vinci scowled and shook his fist in the air.

"I'm sorry, not a time traveler Doctor, have a lot on my plate!" Donna defended herself with a glare. "Still doesn't explain why he didn't escape before. He's still been painting for years!"

"It needed a body." Calypso spoke up then, remembering what the Doctor had told them.

"Yes!" He pointed to her. "The Gelth can't survive in paint; it needs the gases to sustain them. You've been giving it parameters this whole time, you're the key!" He clapped Da Vinci on the shoulder with a grin.

"So what do we do then?" Donna asked.

"The painting that he took, what was it?"

"It is a portrait…" Da Vinci shook his head, trying to remember. "My Liege's mistress."

"Do you think you can paint it again?" The Doctor looked very serious.

"Why would I do that?" Da Vinci frowned.

"It's you, you're the rift. Right now, you're the link that let this thing into the world. It's like it's on a rope, the painting is giving it freedom to walk around. But if you can replicate the original, I can link them together, pulling it back through. I can force it back into the rift. And then we can close it forever."

"How are we going to get ol' Frankenstein back here?" Donna didn't sound like she was too thrilled by the idea.

"Oi, no need for name calling." The Doctor scolded her. "If I can vibrate the atoms in the paint to the right frequency, we won't have to bring him back. The void particles link them. We just have to destroy the original so he's snapped back here. Just a matter of finding the right setting." He frowned, looking at his sonic screwdriver carefully. "Shouldn't be too tricky."

"But, you said the other painting? We've got to destroy it. How are we supposed to do that if he's not here?"

"Guess we'll have to go find him." The Doctor said thoughtfully. None of them looked too eager about that.

"I'll do it." Calypso found the words coming out of her mouth before she had really decided to say them. She immediately regretted it, but the appraising look the Doctor had given her pleased her immensely. And then she understood _exactly_ why she had said it, she was trying to impress him. It had never surprised her quite so much to realize that she was still, very much, an idiot.

"No," He shook his head. "No, I can do it. I'm crafty." He grinned.

"You've got to be here to work that…sonic thing." She wanted him to tell her that it was going to be just fine, and she could stay here safely away from the corpse, but she knew that just wasn't going to happen.

"This thing?" He waved the sonic in his hand. "No…Donna knows how-" But he stopped as he caught Donna's skeptical look.

"No, no. Go on. I want to hear you tell me how that's going to work out." She crossed her arms over her chest, looking smug.

"Honestly, Donna. It's not that hard. I could teach you in just a minute."

"Like you taught me how to work that coffee percolator?" She asked, her head tilted to the side.

"You couldn't have known how…I mean, it shouldn't…explode like that." He finished lamely.

"That's what I thought, spaceman."

"It's fine." Calypso forced herself to smile. "I can do it, just," She swallowed, her false bravado starting to slip. "Tell me what I need to do."

The Doctor pulled his hand across his face, looking as though he wanted to argue. But he ultimately decided against it, perhaps because they didn't really have the time to argue.

"You have to find him first, but stay out of sight." He warned her very seriously. "You don't need to confront him. Just…follow him. And destroy the painting when we say so. Here," He felt around his pockets before finally producing a small metal box. "Light it with this, the oil should ignite easy." He pressed the box into her hand and she stared at it blankly. "Alright?"

"Um…" She hesitated, looking at the box. Its sides were smooth except where a single line separated it in half. "What do you mean, light?"

He opened his mouth to speak and then frowned. "Oh. Sorry. I forget you're…" He grinned sheepishly. "It's a lighter, like a match." He opened the two halves and she saw there was more to the insides. "Well…fire. It starts a fire." She was relieved when his words started to make sense again. "Here." He said, putting his thumb against the small dial and flicking it quickly. Immediately a spark shot out and a single flame danced within the box. She watched it in awe and couldn't help it when her fingers were drawn to the light. She gasped as they burned and she stuck them into her mouth.

"Sorry," She mumbled, feeling her cheeks flush. "That was stupid."

"No," He said with a grin. "Time travel, walking dead, fire in a box. You're entitled to a few mistakes, but you're certainly not stupid. Go on, you try it." She took the precious object in her hands and tried to repeat the motion she had seen the Doctor do. She was too slow the first time, but the second time she got it with a satisfying snick, setting the flame dancing in her hands. "Excellent." He smiled, snapping the lid shut to extinguish the fire. "Now," He sighed thoughtfully. "Where do we think it would go? They were…aquatic creatures, maybe the ocean?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he's gone looking for the ocean in the middle of bleeding Italy," Donna rolled her eyes.

"There is little water to be found in the city, I'm afraid." Leonardo shook his head.

"He'll go to the castle." Calypso suggested and she saw Da Vinci's eyes light up.

"Ah, yes. The great fountains. I believe you may be right."

"Brilliant." The Doctor grinned at her and pulled her tight for a hug. "Stay safe." He said with the same smile on his face. But his eyes looked terribly old, and afraid.

"I will." She promised him.

* * *

><p>It was more than a little unsettling hearing the Doctor in her head, and Donna when she was loud enough. Especially when they were nowhere to be seen. He had tucked a small pebble in her ear before she left; he had called it a 'com' but she hadn't bothered trying to understand. What it was, was voices in her head. She made her way toward the fountain, picking her way through the main streets. Though they needn't have worried, the man had left a trail of destruction as he went; people were shouting and pointing, overturned carts and scattered goods had spilled into the road. She was grateful to see that only a few looked to have been attacked, all looking bewildered, but alive.<p>

"Almost there, he's been causing a fuss." She said, trying to speak behind her hand and hoping that no one would see her talking to herself.

"Excellent." His calm voice spoke again, louder than the noises around her. "Remember, stay out of sight. You can't burn the painting until we're ready here."

"Won't that take a while?" She frowned, she didn't know much about the artist Da Vinci, but she didn't imagine he regularly churned out work in an hour.

"Naw, doesn't need to be finished. Just needs to have the right shapes. You just sit tight; he'll have it ready in no time."

"Great." She said without enthusiasm.

"No, Donna. Donna you have to hold your arm like that." She could hear him clearly but he didn't seem to be talking to her. "It was an animal, she was holding an animal. I know it's just a towel, but try not to…you know. Strangle it so much."

"Listen you…_martian_." Donna's voice was full of threat. "I don't know if you've noticed, but a zombie just up and wandered off, and oh yeah. It _still_ smells like death in here. I'm a bit on edge."

"This would be easier if you wouldn't antagonize my model." Da Vinci sounded just as irritated as Donna.

"Thank you," She replied.

"Right, sorry. As you were Donna." The Doctor did his best to sound apologetic.

"Although, the Doctor is correct." Da Vinci added.

"Oh, I bet Mona Lisa just _loved_ you." Donna muttered murderously.

"Blimey, no respect for the classics," The Doctor sighed. Calypso gave a laugh, but her heart wasn't really in it.

"Oh," She said, coming into view of the castle, it was enormous. And sitting before it lay the grand fountain, spraying its water up into the air to splash down to the pool below.

"What? What's wrong?" He asked very seriously. She had seen him, the man; he stood at the edge of the pool, staring down into it, unmoving.

"It's nothing." She finally forced herself to speak. "I've found him. But it's fine. He's just, waiting."

"Alright." He was quiet for a moment. "We're almost through here; you stay out of sight until I let you know, got it?"

"Okay." She said, she had no desire to confront the man, and seeing him up close again made her want to flee in the other direction. But then her heart stopped in her chest, a woman was approaching him. A nun from the look of her plain garb, she was the only one in the busy street who had noticed the man. And she was walking toward him, a loaf of bread in her hands. "Oh," She said again, her feet marching her forward before she could stop herself. She had to stall the woman, she couldn't stand by and watch her get hurt, especially not when she looked only as though she wanted to help. "Doctor, I'm sorry." She said absently as she quickened her pace.

"Sorry? Calypso, sorry for what?"

But she didn't respond, the nun had reached him now, and extended her hand to his shoulder. She broke into a full run when she saw his arm snatch back at her, crushing her wrist in his grip and letting the bread fall to the ground. "Calypso! Stay PUT I said!" He shouted into her ear, but she didn't hear him. The nun screamed as he twisted her arm painfully to the side, the blue fog glowing about his face and he growled menacingly.

"He's sick!" She shouted as she approached. "Get away from him!" She reached the woman just in time to help her pull away; her sleeve tore in his fingers. "Run!" She shouted at her and the nun didn't hesitate to flee from the scene before Calypso felt cold fingers close over her shoulder. She screamed as they dug deep into her muscle, turning her to face the man. Without releasing the painting, he grabbed her throat and started to lift her from the ground. She had to clutch the rotting flesh of his arm to keep from choking on her own weight. But she was still struggling to breathe properly, even more so as he pulled her toward him and the stench of decay smacked her in the face.

"Doctor-" She gasped, hoping against hopes that they were ready.

"Faster man! I needed this done yesterday!" She heard him shout in her ear.

"Don't rush a genius." Da Vinci chided him.

"Oi! Don't delay a time lord!" She heard Donna shout back.

"Calypso, get out of there! It's not ready!" The Doctor's voice was beyond urgent.

"Too late," She whispered.

"_From before._" The man opened his mouth to speak, expelling more foul air into her lungs. She thought she might vomit if he hadn't such a firm grip on her throat. "_You are from before._" She realized that he was asking her so she nodded as best she could. His white eyes left her face and stared at the water in the fountain, then he returned his attention to her. "_This water is dead._"

"Keep him talking! Anything will do!" The Doctor urged her.

"I don't know what you mean," She shook her head.

"_This water has no life. Where are my people?"_

"This is just a pond. It's a fake thing. You want the ocean, or the river. There's life there." She promised him, wishing she could get a breath of fresh air. But then she recognized something in his eyes, _hope_. She felt her heart break for him, this dead creature, because she knew there was no hope to be had.

"_My people? They live in ocean?"_

She opened her mouth to lie to him, but found that she couldn't. She knew they were dead, the Doctor had said as much. The Gelth were just as much a victim of the war as her own people had been. "No." She finally whispered. "I'm sorry, they're gone."

"It's a hand!" She heard the Doctor shouting. "It's just a hand! Five fingers. Palm. Draw a hand!"

"_Gone?" _It spoke the word slowly, not understanding.

"They're dead." She answered.

"_I am lost." _The thing spoke the words slowly and the hope that had been in its eyes died, it was now just the corpse staring at her.

"I'm lost. I'm alone too." She said, feeling a great sorrow for the creature. But something had changed, something had broken in it and it gnashed its teeth together, glaring at the fountain.

"_You. You did this." _It decided, its cold eyes snapping back to her face. She felt its grip tighten around her neck and she took a last startled gasp of air before her throat closed completely.

"No!" He voice came out as a croak. She shook her head, trying to apologize, trying to explain, but it just came out as feeble choked noises. There was nothing else she could do, the blood in her head pounded like a drum against her ears. The creature just wanted to watch her die.

"Calypso!" The voice in her ear sounded distant compared to the rushing blood. "Do it now! Burn the painting!" Stars started to dance in her eyes as she reluctantly let go of the creatures arm, letting him hold her aloft. It didn't matter anymore; she was already choking to death. She fumbled in her pocket until she felt the cool metal of the box press reassuringly in her hand. She flipped it open and slid her thumb against the dial over and over, unable to see if the flame ignited, unable to see if she was even drawing it against the painting. Her vision went fuzzy and then darkened, the last thing she heard was the Doctor's voice calling her name.

* * *

><p>She opened her eyes slowly, gasping for air. With a rush, she remembered where she had been and jumped up from her position on the floor.<p>

"Whoa, whoa. Easy girl." Donna's voice was reassuring her calmly, she wobbled for a bit but Donna was there to hold her steady. Looking around she recognized the interior of the TARDIS and she felt a wave of relief flood her. "It's alright, we've got you." Donna smiled. "Though the Doctor's going to scold you proper when he gets back."

"My head," Her voice came out as a strangled whisper. She touched her throat gently but flinched when she felt the tender skin.

"Yeah, he got you pretty good." Donna commiserated.

"Is everything okay? Did it work?"

"Yeah," Donna said smiling; she patted her on the back and helped her to fully stand. "Worked like a charm. You were brilliant. Though, you did put a bit of a scare in us."

"Sorry," Calypso felt guilty, but it hadn't exactly been her desire to end up this way. She heard the door open up behind her and she cringed, Donna looked over her shoulder.

"Well, here comes trouble." Donna said with a sympathetic frown.

"The _plan,_" The Doctor's voice had a chilly edge to it. "Was to _wait_. You were going to wait until we were done. Remember? Remember me telling you that? What would have happened if I couldn't get the paint to resonate? What if we hadn't finished?" He put his hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. She almost quailed then, a storm raged in his eyes and she knew at once he was not a man to be trifled with. But in an instant, it was gone. His eyes softened as he saw her throat and he let his hand drift to her neck, his brown eyes now filled with concern.

"That bad is it?" She tried to smile but blanched when his fingers touched her skin.

"What if I'd lost you?" He asked in a quiet voice. The fire in his eyes had all but extinguished and it was more frightening to face him now than when he had been angry.

"I'm sorry," She started, she didn't want to hurt him, she didn't want him to have to feel that kind of loss. "There was a woman; I couldn't just let him…" She trailed off, afraid of what might have happened if she had just watched.

He let out a slow sigh, a smile trickling across his face again. "I know the feeling."

"So," Donna drawled in the growing silence. "Got the rift all sorted then?"

"Yep." The Doctor seemed to reanimate, turning from Calypso to the controls in the center of the room. "Well," He shrugged. "Mostly."

"Mostly?" Donna looked at him with her mouth hanging open. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, nothing." He shook his head. "It's fine."

"Doctor, what did you do?"

"It's…" He sighed and looked up from the controls, chewing the side of his mouth. "It's so little. When I closed the rift, I had to wipe Leonardo's mind, to erase it completely. And, well…there was a bit of a…" He trailed off.

"Are you telling me, that you bloody broke Leonardo. Da Vinci." Donna enunciated the words with her fingers pinched together.

"No, course not." He reassured her. "He's just a bit. Well…he writes backwards. That's all. It's not a problem, because…it's not."

"Backwards?" Donna asked him with an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, just, you know. Like normal. But…mirrored."

"You're the one who makes him write in his notebooks all funny?" Donna threw her hands up in the air.

"Yeah," He said, rubbing the back of his head. "A bit." He waved away her concerns and continued to circle the TARDIS, pressing levers as he went. "It'll be fine." The machine started to hum around them and the floor vibrated with power.

"Um, Doctor?" Calypso felt certain they had forgotten she was standing there. "You've forgotten to drop me off."

"No I haven't. You're coming with us." He looked up with a smile and she felt her heart skip. "That is, if you want." He said more seriously, but she couldn't help the grin that spread across her face.

"To go traveling with you? In space?" She almost felt like laughing she was so giddy.

"Told ya." Donna said, looking at the Doctor, rather smug with herself.

"Yeah, what do you think? Anywhere in the universe, where do you want to go?"

"I…" She tried to think of all the impossible places she had ever wondered about. The moon, the sun, any number of the glittering stars in the sky. But then her hopes were all dashed away, she felt the tingling rising all over her body. She was going.

"Oh, no." The Doctor said softly, sensing it almost as she did. "Maybe the TARDIS affects…"

"Sorry Doctor," She put on a false smile. "Maybe next time." It was difficult to smother that sense of crushing disappointment with the growing lump in her throat. But the Doctor knew, knew because he felt it too. He crossed the room and gathered her up in his arms while she blinked back the tears that were coming.

"I'm sorry." He whispered, holding her tight. "I'll get this sorted. Just you wait." He gave her a reassuring smile. "You're not alone, Calypso. Not ever." He stared deep into her eyes and she realized he had heard her as she tried to reach out to the creature, trying to comfort it.

"I know." She nodded, though it was hard to believe it as she felt herself slip away from him. Harder to convince herself when she looked up and realized he was gone and she was by herself once again.


	10. The Globe Theater

**A/N: Alright, so I have some 'episodes' included in my story, but I tend to get a bit bored when I'm reading them, so I tried to do something a little different. I'm trying to stick as closely to the episode as possible by not including the OC in any major scenes. But well, it made it very, non action orientated. So, let me know what you think! Better to stick to canon and have slightly less action? Or just go full blown, throwing my character into the episodes? Cause I've got a few more that I'm still on the fence about. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>-1599-<strong>

**-The Globe Theater-**

* * *

><p>"Another play? Tomorrow?" Kempe seemed to be having trouble wrapping his mind around the idea. Shakespeare may have been brilliant, but he was an impossible kind of brilliant. The whole thing was likely to be a disaster. Of course, Calypso had thought that before and somehow the bard managed to pull it off time and time again. The people who came to watch seemed to love everything he put out, and she had to admit, the man had a way with words. Kemp shuffled off with the rest of the actors to go grumble at William; while Robert lingered at the door, waiting for her. She shooed away the young sandy blond haired man, she had been lucky to get a job with the company. The last thing she wanted to do was create drama in the ranks because she was cavorting with one of the actors. He flashed her a grin and disappeared around the corner with the rest of them.<p>

She pulled the heavy wig off her scalp, the cool air a much-needed relief. Splashing her face with water, she had to scrub to get the worst of the thick make-up off. Her skin was nearly raw by the time she got it all. It was a huge pain, and it seemed so unnecessary. Of course, if she didn't look like the rest of the men in drag, people might start to question, and if people started to question, she might not have a job at all. It hadn't been too difficult to convince Shakespeare, one night, late at the pub. He was, after all, a fairly modern man, and prone to flattery. It had taken her three shows to memorize his work, word for word. But it had paid off in the end; Shakespeare had been impressed and hired her on the spot. The rest of the crew didn't need much convincing, after all, Shakespeare said it was so, and so it was.

It was such a rush up on the stage, performing for the people. She lived for the cheers of triumph, and the hissing directed at the villainous characters. To hold that kind of sway over the audience made her feel powerful, and strong. And so did her young Robert, in his own way. Of course, he was temporary, she made sure of that. She made it very clear to him that it was just a bit of fun, he didn't seem to mind in the least. The fleetingness of the situation made it seem more exciting, she felt more alive than ever. But sometimes, also, crushingly lonely. She dunked her whole face into the basin of water, pushing away those dark thoughts that threatened to drag her down into the frightening depths of her mind and never release their hold. She dried her face with a towel and dumped it next to the wig.

"Calypso!" The voice came from behind her and her heart skipped a beat when she recognized it. She turned around to see the Doctor standing there, his hair in complete disorder and a broad grin on his face.

"Doctor!" She said with a grin, standing from her stool and rushing forward to give him a hug. "How many beads have you got?" She asked, pulling away quickly, mindful of how their last meeting had gone.

"Beads? Oh," He stuffed his hand into his pocket, searching. "Ah, here we are then," He produced the silver strand and she could see several. "Looks like I've got four. Why?" He looked at her curiously and she felt relieved. It would be nice to be on the same page as him. She pulled her own necklace from beneath her dress and smiled.

"I've got the same, so this will be five."

"Well isn't that brilliant!" He said with a grin. "We're all lined up."

"Doctor? He's gone to the inn-" A dark skinned woman strode into the room, her clothes fit her like a glove and Calypso tried not to stare. She did look startled to see them and frowned as she approached. "Who…?" She looked to the Doctor to explain.

"Ah, Martha! There you are. This is Calypso."

"Hello Martha." Calypso donned her most polite smile and presented her hand to shake.

"Oh…hello." Martha accepted her hand, but seemed less than enthusiastic about it. "Is she another…companion of yours?" She released her hand as quickly as she could and looked back to the Doctor.

"Oh, no. No. Calypso is…different." He smiled lopsidedly. "She's a friend I run into, on occasion. Which reminds me." He stuffed the necklace away and from the same pocket pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "This is my sonic screwdriver," He carefully explained to her, Calypso tried not to laugh. "It's not going to hurt; I just wanted to check something." He scanned the screwdriver around her head, looking at the blue light carefully. "It _is_ Huon energy." He frowned at the reading, seemingly talking to himself. "That's impossible…unless-" He wandered in a circle and began to rummage through his pockets.

"So, you're in the play then?" Martha asked brightly when it looked like the Doctor would be distracted for a while yet. Calypso thought the woman was warming to her, but when she looked up, she couldn't help but feel like she was…sizing her up.

"Yes, I am. Did you like it?" She put on her best pleasant smile and tried to stay polite. It was hard not to miss the grinning face of Donna; she would have to ask the Doctor just what determined someone worthy to travel with.

"Yeah, yeah. That Shakespeare really knows his stuff." Martha nodded and the silence between them grew, the Doctor was having no luck finding whatever he had been searching for. "Speaking of which," Martha directed her comment to the preoccupied man. "Shouldn't we be going, you know, to see him?"

"Yeah…" The Doctor looked at the sonic once more with a frown. "I suppose it can wait." He turned back to Calypso. "I'll get back to you on that. I guess we'll see you performing tomorrow then, right?" Whatever had diverted his thoughts was dismissed and the same plucky grin was displayed on his face.

"I'll make sure you have excellent seats waiting for you." Calypso smiled and the Doctor gave her another hug. Martha kept her distance and they settled on a gracious smile as their farewell.

* * *

><p>Kempe had been acting strangely all night, and so had Dick for that matter. They had both shown up right before rehearsals looking white as ghosts and had refused to utter the last speech of the play. Dick had reassured everyone that he had the lines memorized though; he claimed it would have greater impact if he only said it once. They had all read it, and none of it seemed to make sense, but it wasn't their job to question the script, so they had moved on. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, because it was difficult to watch the man carefully during the play. But if she had to guess, she thought Kempe looked <em>nervous<em>. And that was strange in itself, because he was the veteran actor of them all; there was no reason for him to be uncomfortable on stage. She had to dismiss it though, she had nearly missed her cue twice trying to spy on him, and she was determined not to do it again.

"Stop the play! I'm sorry, ladies and gentlemen. This performance must be stopped!" Shakespeare had suddenly burst through the prop doors, his arms waving about as he dashed onto the stage and started to shout. Was this some kind of ruse that had been planned? It didn't seem to fit into the scene at all and the rest of the actors around her looked just as confused. "Sorry-" But suddenly the words died on his lips and he collapsed to the ground.

They stood there awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to do with the unconscious bard.

"Get him off the stage." She heard Dick muttering beneath his breath. The 'ladies' all stepped forward and hustled him back through the door he had come from. Kempe stood up as they exited, making his own little rhyme to amuse the audience.

"You must forgive our irksome Will; he's been on the beer, and feeling ill." She heard the murmur of clapping and laughter as they rounded the corner toward the back of the theater. It was true, it wasn't the first time William had showed up to one of his plays drunk. Nor was it the first time he had tried to interrupt one while intoxicated, but he didn't seem drunk at all.

"See if you can't get him up. And make sure he stays off the bloody stage!" Dick looked furious as he stormed back out to the front.

"What am I supposed to do? I don't know what he's up to." Calypso stared at the rest of the actors who were slowly making their way back to the curtain.

"You're the woman; you do the healing, yeah?" Robert smirked teasingly. "Just keep him busy. Else Dick will be angry with you as well." Then he also disappeared around the corner, leaving her alone with the useless lump.

She grabbed a pail of water and tried dabbing it against his temple, but he didn't stir. He didn't reek of ale, which she thought was odd, and no amount of cold water was rousing him. He was completely out of it, and the only sign that he was still alive was the slow rise and fall of his chest. Kempe came back a few minutes later to check on how she was doing, but she just shook her head.

"He's out cold. I've never seen him like this. He won't wake at all."

"Guess the pressure of writing a play in a single night got to him." He said with a grin. "That'll teach him."

"I don't know," Calypso frowned. "I'm really worried." She shook his shoulder again, but he didn't stir from the chair.

"Tell you what, if he's not sorted by the end, we'll bring the physician around." Kempe squeezed her shoulder reassuringly with a smile. "I'm sure he'll be up in no time." He hustled back toward the front, probably to give his last lines of the play. She thought of the Doctor then, he would know what to do. But maybe she was overreacting; perhaps the mix of stress and probably alcohol had simply been too much for him.

"Mmmm…" He groaned, his head lolled to the side on his shoulders.

"Will?" She whispered, holding a hand to his chest to steady him. "Are you alright?" She asked as he seemed to be waking. But suddenly the shadows in the back of the theater were flickering unnaturally, and the dust was billowing up into her eyes. She turned to see that some strange lights were shining from beyond the stage. Will didn't seem to be waking any faster, so she stood to go investigate. Barely pulling back the curtains so that she could peek out to the stage without being seen.

But she needn't have bothered hiding; the madness over the stage would have been enough to disguise an elephant. There was a massive cyclone, twisting and spitting in the air like an angry cat. Red fire and lightning bolts flew out in all directions, cracking against the wood frames of the Globe and causing sparks to explode above their heads. People were screaming and rushing for the doors, but there were too many at once, there was no way they could all escape. The whole building started to shake as the thing grew and grew above their heads, shades danced within the tornado, demons would appear only to vanish within the cloud again.

"Oh Gods." She murmured, wanting to step back from the stage. _Stop the play_. He had said, but why? How had he known about this? It didn't matter now, it looked like whatever he had hoped to prevent was happening. She turned back to where she had left the bard, crumpled in his chair, maybe he could tell her what was going on. Maybe there was still something she could do.

"Outta my way!" A man screamed nearby, he had climbed the stage and was now rushing through the back area, trying to escape. He shoved past her as he ran for the side door, and she was so startled she lost her footing, tripping over Will's outstretched foot and tumbling toward the table. She cracked her head as she fell and everything faded to black.


	11. The Globe Theater Part 2

**-1599-**

**-The Globe Theater-**

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><p>"Calypso?" She heard her name somewhere above her; she struggled to swim through the darkness, using it as an anchor to help pull her along. When she finally emerged, she saw the Doctor's face looking down at her. "Missed all the fun this time, didn't you?" He asked with a grin, he was wearing a silly ruff around his neck and holding an odd glowing globe.<p>

"Oh, I think I'm regretting it." She pressed her palm against her forehead as she sat up slowly. William was gone from the chair and she couldn't hear the screaming or the howling of the wind from the stage any longer. "What did I miss?"

"Oh, you know. Carrionites, trying to escape the void. Wanted to use Shakespeare's words to build a bridge to this world, and then they planned to destroy it, and all of humanity with it. Don't worry yourself, I got it sorted." He said with a self-important sniff.

"I guess congratulations are in order." She couldn't quite muster up the enthusiasm to make it sound sincere.

"Ouch. Look at that, you're not even impressed." He pretended to look offended. "I must have put you through the ringer already."

"You do have a knack for causing trouble wherever you go." She said with a smirk.

"Hey now, that's not fair." He shrugged. "Maybe it's you with the knack." She just rolled her eyes and started to stand on her shaky legs. The Doctor put down the globe and helped her up, but she found the closeness of him to be distracting.

"I have my doubts." She squinted against the bright light that was shining through the wood slats.

"Fair enough. But, oh, I almost forgot!" He stuffed his hand into his pockets and produced an old worn piece of paper, handing it to her. "I've figured out who you are. Brilliant ol me." He said with a grin. She looked down at the paper and it shimmered as though it was wet. It was an image, like a drawing, but it seemed so real, and it moved as she twisted the paper in her hands. It was a scene, two red mountains soaring into the sky, and a blue sea weaving below. Lettering at the bottom named it the 'Islands of Discovery'. What really caught her eye were the two suns, chasing each other across the horizon, just like her dreams.

"Oh yeah?" Her voice shook as she spoke.

"You're just like me." He scrunched up his face. "Well, not _exactly_ like me. But we come from the same place; it's a planet, billions and billions of miles away. It's called Gallifrey. And you're a time traveler, like me." He waited for some kind of reaction and seemed genuinely disappointed when he didn't receive one. "Oh, come on now. You don't hear that every day. Another planet? Time travel? You didn't even blink!"

"Sorry," She flushed, finally taking her eyes off the paper. "It's just…you've told me that already."

"I certainly have not-" He looked indignant, but then his argument trailed away. "Oh, right. Wrong order. Well," He scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "There I go, ruining my big reveal. Suppose you know everything then?"

"Not really." She shook her head. "I know we're from Gallifrey, and…I know what happened." She felt her voice drop and the Doctor looked as though he had been punched. "You called my people the Engineers." She rushed on, hoping she could push past the dark look that had crossed the Doctor's face. "But, you didn't really elaborate." She raised her eyes hopefully.

"Yes, the Engineers." He said with a sigh. "Hadn't thought about them in a long while. Not till I saw the reading on the sonic. You're just chock full of Huon particles, and that should be, well, impossible. Because I know they're deadly. Except to the species they came from," He looked at her with a smile. "That's why the TARDIS liked you so much. Your people built them. Well, in fact, they _grew_ them." His eyes looked out to an invisible horizon for a moment before he returned his gaze to Calypso, it crackled with life. "They were just as much their children as you would have been. That's why the heart of the TARDIS contains the Huon particles. It's funny, how you forget. So many more were lost to that war," The life in his eyes crumbled to dust then, and she could feel the grief radiating from him.

"They died in the war too?" She felt that hard lump in her throat growing; her heart still ached to hear of that lost world of hers, despite how deeply she tried to bury it.

"Well, yes." He shrugged. "But there weren't many left by the time the Dalek's showed up. Gallifrey had been tearing itself apart before that, so much distrust among its own people. The time lords predicted the end was coming, and they looked to the Engineers to reveal how they could escape it. The Engineers refused. Started a civil war. Practically annihilated their entire people before they realized what they had done." He shook his head. "It was an ugly time for my people. Fear can do terrible things."

"Did you…did you fight?" She hated that she asked the question, she didn't really want to know. She didn't want to know that this man had had some part in killing her people, even before he had been forced to destroy Gallifrey to save reality. But she had to know, had to hear him say it.

"No." He shook his head, staring at the floor. She almost laughed at the relief that flooded through her. "I was much too young. Had only just looked into the Untempered Schism. It's why I know so little about your people. They were almost lost by the time I was grown." He tapped a spot on the paper she was holding. "That's where the Untempered Schism was, right on the side of the mountain there. And those islands beyond, that's where your people came from. That's where they lived when…" He trailed off, unable to continue that thought. "I'm just a barrel of laughs." He gave a sardonic smile and shook his head.

"It's not fair." She whispered, blinking back her tears as she looked at the image of the red islands.

"That you'll never get to see it?" He asked, his voice heavy with guilt.

"No," She shook her head and looked back at him. "That you should live through so many…terrible things. And every time I see you, you're saving others, helping."

"I've lived a long time." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I suppose that's my penance."

"It's still not fair."

"You're right." He said nodding, and he looked like a man freshly painted with grief all over again. She placed her hand on his shoulder sympathetically and he managed a real smile then. "So," He sucked in a breath. "What am I like?"

"What?" She frowned, not understanding what he was asking.

"In the future. What am I like? What have I done that has made you such a kind friend to me?" His dark eyes looked to her with genuine interest. No matter how innocent he had meant the question, she still felt herself blush from root to tip, unable to form a coherent answer.

"You're nice." She finally stammered when she realized that she had let the silence drag on too long.

"Oh really?" His casual smile had widened to a grin that was verging on smug. "Well, isn't that interesting?"

"Yes," Calypso realized that her habit of vanishing wasn't making a convenient appearance and she was going to have to stumble her way through the rest of the conversation. "Well, it was lovely to see you again." She avoided looking directly into his eyes as she made her excuses. "But I must be going. After last night's performance, I'm sure we're going to be terribly busy. I've got…loads of…sewing to catch up on."

"Yes, quite right." He had the decency to try to erase the smirk from his face, but when she glanced up, she could see some of that twinkle still dancing in his eye. "I'm looking forward to when we meet again." He took her fingers in his own and kissed the back of her hand, gazing up at her with those brown eyes. "Break a leg, as they say." He released her hand with a frown. "Or, as they will say. Eventually. Much later. I wouldn't…oh forget it." He waved her off. "And keep that hidden." He pointed to the paper she still held in her hands. "I don't want to find you locked up for witchcraft the next time I come around."

"Thank you." She smiled looking down at the image of her home, the heavy weight in her heart lightened some, seeing it had been real. "Goodbye, Doctor."

"Till next time, Calypso." He gave her a sharp salute and she watched him go. It was funny, she thought, how it still felt just as badly to see him leave as it did when she was yanked away abruptly.


	12. Versailles

**-1764-**

**-Versailles-**

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><p>The Palace was so gray in the rain, so miserable. And along with the Lady, all of the life had left as well. Even the King was subdued, forgoing with ceremony and wandering the halls aimlessly. He spoke to no one but himself, and only in the early hours of the day. She kept her mind on her work, that was the safest way. She polished the floors so that they continued to shine, though she doubted anyone would notice, or be able to enjoy it any time soon. He had sent all of the courtiers away; there would be no parties in the halls, no celebration. No guests to enjoy the splendor of Versailles.<p>

"Reinette?" She heard the voice echoing down the halls, so quiet she thought she had imagined it. Lifting her head, she listened intently. Perhaps she had just imagined it, her body ached from spending most of the morning hunched over the marble tiles and she was already exhausted. Or perhaps the King had finally gone mad from his grief; it would not surprise her in the least. She remembered that feeling, that dark empty pit where there was only pain and misery.

"Are you there, Reinette?" This time it was louder, and it didn't sound like the King. Something was wrong; she stuffed her towel into her apron and stood on numb legs. She couldn't be sure, but she thought it had come from the late Lady's rooms, which was odd in itself since the King had refused anyone entry. It stood like a tomb in the palace, cold and abandoned. She was surprised he had not boarded it up.

She made her way down the empty halls as quietly as she could, not truly wanting to disturb the King, but knowing it was her duty to make sure he was not having some kind of fit. When she finally crossed the threshold of the room, she found it just as it had been for days, empty. No one was there at all. Perhaps she had imagined it.

But. The fireplace was crackling away, freshly lit. She spun in place, searching for a sign that someone had been there, but she could find none. Aside from the burning wood, there was no indication anyone had been here at all. Perhaps one of the newer servants had inadvertently lit this fire to keep out the damp chill of the weather, not yet knowing that this room was not to be disturbed. She didn't want an errant spark flying up and scorching the carpets, so she went to extinguish the flames. She did her best to spread the coals out on the stone pit and went to work sweeping up the ash that had spread.

"Oh," A dull voice spoke from behind her. And yet, it was a familiar one. "I'm sorry." She turned, with her heart in her throat, and there he was. His wild hair was somewhat subdued atop his head, matching his somber appearance. He dragged his hand across the back of his neck and stared at the fireplace, a haunted look filling his eyes. "I was just going to…I'll finish that." He offered.

"Doctor?" She felt a hesitant smile reach her lips, and his eyes switched to look at her then. But there was no recognition there, only confusion.

"Yes?" He asked her skeptically.

"Doctor, it's me." She felt her own bewilderment start to rise. "Calypso?" She offered.

"It's nice to meet you. How do you know my name? Did Reinette-?" He couldn't finish the thought but she could see the pain wash through him.

"Doctor," She forced herself to smile, even as the lump of dread crawled up from her stomach. She was afraid to ask, too afraid because she already knew the answer. But she had to. "Where's…your necklace?" Her voice was unnaturally high and she realized she was twisting the towel in her hands nervously.

"Necklace? I'm sorry, I'm not sure I understand." He stepped closer to the fireplace, eyeing her warily.

"The necklace, with the beads-" But the words died on her lips. There was no familiarity in his face, no sign that he had even the remotest idea of what she was talking about, or who she was. She did her best to keep the polite smile on her face. It surprised her that it would hurt this badly, to have him not know her at all. "Never mind." She whispered, her fingers unconsciously rising to the necklace that lay beneath her own collar. He frowned, knowing she was upset, but not having the slightest clue why.

"What have you got there?" He saw where her fingers traced and thought he recognized something, something that didn't belong in the eighteenth century.

"It's nothing." She shook her head, her voice was thick and she cleared her throat, turning to finish her work of dusting up the burnt ashes.

"That's not nothing." He walked toward her and pulled out a pair of black rimmed spectacles, casually flipping the edge of her dress back. She was reminded of the day he had given it to her, the way his fingers had brushed against her skin. But that was not this man, not even close, and it wounded her to have him scowl at her so suspiciously.

"This is wire…" He mumbled. "And micro-couplings. How did-" His dark brown eyes stared deep into hers and she shivered. They were dangerous, frightening, in their intensity. "Where did you get this?" His voice was commandingly serious. She could see where civilizations had crumbled to dust under that gaze.

"You gave it to me." She knew not answering wasn't an option, and the only answers she had were the truth.

"I what?" His eyebrows rose nearly to his hairline.

"The beads," She started again, her mouth was dry but if she stopped, she wasn't sure she'd have the nerve to continue. "It's meant to keep track of how often we've met."

He looked down at the necklace again, and she felt relieved that his gaze was directed elsewhere. When they returned to her, that fearsome quality had faded.

"There's five," He said, with doubt clearly etched across his face.

"This'll make six." She tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace.

"I've met you six times?" She was pretty sure his eyebrows were permanently fixed at that point on his forehead now.

"Yes," She swallowed, trying to remember how he had explained it. It was easy for it to get jumbled in her mind, lost in the time spent when he wasn't around. The way he said things, the words he used, no one else spoke that way. Sometimes she got to the point where she thought maybe it was just a series of dreams she was having, something to help her cope with the gaps between her falling asleep in one place and waking in another.

"You told me you were a time traveler." She started. "And, you said I was, as well. Except, you can control where you go. I only leap forward. That's why we don't always meet in order…or, remember meeting."

"Oh," He said, finally releasing the necklace and sitting back on his haunches. He seemed to understand and she was grateful because she wasn't sure she was able to explain it any better. "I see." He nodded. "I'm sorry then. I suppose I'm being rude." He held out his hand, offering to shake. "Calypso, you said?"

"Yes." She took his hand, but awkwardly. It felt wrong to be greeting him as a stranger. It felt like that hole in her heart that she had pushed away would suddenly open wider and swallow her completely.

"It's nice to meet you, Calypso. Looking forward to the next time." He smiled, but she could see that it wasn't genuine; it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You'll have to excuse me." He nodded his head once to the fireplace. "I've really got to be going." His quick dismissal added to that sharp pain, but she did her best to push it aside.

"Wait!" She reached out for his arm, not wanting him to go, despite his brusque manner. But it wasn't just that; it was the necklace, the one he didn't have yet. She had seen it before. He looked down at her grip with a frown and she snatched her hands back. "Please, just wait."

"Calypso, I'm sorry. I've got to go." He shook his head.

"Just a moment. I swear, it will only be a moment." She promised him. "I have something I have to give you." Her eyes pleaded with him, and she thought he would deny her, she didn't know if she would be able to recover from that. But something in him softened, and she felt relief wash through her. He would still be _her_ Doctor; he was still in there, somewhere, some _when_.

"Alright then. But I really can't wait long." He stuffed his hands into his pockets, looking like a weary old man.

"I'll be just a moment." She assured him, rushing out of the room. She knew the pearls; they had been boxed up with the rest of the Lady's items, stuffed away in one of the spare rooms. She ran as she went, afraid that he wouldn't wait for her, not certain why she knew it mattered. She found the room quickly enough and then there it was, the small wooden case set upon one of the dressers. It was largely 'worthless' jewels, nothing the king had given to her, and nothing that she would be buried with. She found what she was looking for almost immediately. A silver strand that sparkled even in the dimness of the room, and a pearl necklace. She winced at the thought of destroying such a lovely piece, but she snapped the line of pearls resolutely, causing the loose pearls to scatter in the box. She placed all of the beads, save one she saved for the silver thread, in a small velvet satchel that had once held a fine ring.

She hurried back to the room, and was relieved to see he was still waiting. Now he stood facing the rain-streaked window, staring outside. She walked up behind him, following his gaze. They both watched as the wagon disappeared behind the hill, down the long road to Paris. She pressed her lips together; she knew that look, that sense of loss. It rolled off him like a sickly perfume.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, startling him from his mood. "I know what it's like. To lose someone." He spared her a brief glance before returning his eyes to the horizon.

"I lose everyone." He muttered, mostly to himself.

"Here," She said, holding the necklace aloft. "So you can keep track." She sniffed, trying not to let her own sorrow overwhelm her. She placed the bag in his hand, along with the silver string, and he accepted it with a small smile.

"Thank you." He nodded to her, stuffing the items into his pocket.

"Of course." She stepped back from the window. "Good bye, Doctor." She said with a smile that she didn't quite feel. She turned to leave the room, reassuring herself that this was the only time she would feel so utterly alone while he was still there.

"Calypso." His voice stopped her at the door, she had to hold herself steady as she turned back to face him. "I'm sorry." He offered with a sympathetic look. "I'm just-" He sighed and crossed the room to stand near her again. "I'm a bitter old man." The beginnings of a real smile pulled at his lips. "It was lovely to meet you." He took her hands and squeezed them companionably. "And I hope to see you again soon." She felt her own smile returning, genuine this time. That reassured him and he gave another quick squeeze of her hands. He strode back over to the fireplace, pulling some lever that she couldn't see.

"Allons-y." He gave her a quick salute and the wall spun in place, taking him with it. The fireplace was cold and dead as it should be, and she shivered, alone in the empty room.


	13. Versailles Revolution

**A/N:Sorry about the wait. I got way ahead of myself, and then when I hit an empty chapter I was just like 'I'll do it later'. Pfft. Sure. Anyway. Thanks to those lovely reviewers and alerters!**

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><p><strong>-1789-<strong>

**-Versailles-**

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><p>The gardens were quite radiant this morning. The sun made the dew glitter on the grass lawn, it almost seemed like it would be bright enough to warm the autumn day. Despite the restlessness of the peasants in the capital, Calypso was feeling generally happy. The king had called for another meeting of the Estates General, though she had doubts that it would be any better than the last. While some work had begun, it had dissolved into an excuse for feasting. But the attack on the Bastille had certainly sobered up many of the nobles who hadn't been taking the changing political climate too seriously. She did her best to stay out of it; it had caused some strife within the servants, those who believed in the cause, and those who were still loyal to the king. She was always good at keeping her head down; she found it was the easiest way to stay out of trouble.<p>

Just then, she was waiting for the arrival of the Duke de Alphons. He was to arrive from Paris sometime in the morning. She had been informed that he was a man of great…self-importance. She started to understand why, since he had not been explicitly invited by the King. In addition to that, he was arriving a full week early, which made sense for those who lived in the country. But as he only lived so far away as the capital, it seemed a little excessive. Calypso only really had such a sour outlook on the man because she wasn't supposed to be here greeting him. She could be doing a dozen other things instead of catering to the whims of a stuffy noble. But the steward, who should've been there to meet him, was away with the King. Hunting.

She heard the crackle of the gravel behind her and she turned to see the white and gilded carriage approaching. Its wheels were muddied from the city roads, and a footman jogged along behind it as it arrived. She ran her hands down her modest skirts, trying to present herself as well as she could. She saw the man within the bouncing vehicle, swathed in layers of heavy velvet, even as he was forced to fan himself. She reminded herself to smile as the carriage came to a halt in front of her, and she gestured for the men waiting to come take the bags that were strapped to the back. The footman waited for them to finish before he opened the door wide, and placed a small footstep on the ground to ease the Duke's exit.

"Duke de Alphons," She bowed deeply, as she had been instructed to do. "It is my pleasure to welcome you to Versailles." The rather portly and balding man huffed as he dislodged himself from the wagon, scowling down at her.

"Has the monarchy fallen so far already that they cannot spare a _man_ to greet me proper?" His beady eyes regarded her with distain and she felt her practiced smile start to fade from her face.

"I apologize," She said smoothly. "The steward is indisposed at the moment. But your rooms are ready for your arrival." She wondered how much the steward would appreciate her telling the Duke that he had made a specific effort to be 'indisposed' for his arrival. She thought that would probably be pushing her luck a little _too_ far. "If you'll just follow me, I can take you to them. I'm sure your journey has been quite taxing." Her voice had just a hint of an edge to it, and the annoyed flick of the Duke's eyes suggested that he had noticed it. She rounded the carriage so she wouldn't have to keep the wavering smile on her face, let him scowl at her back if he'd like.

"Hello." Said a floppy haired man wearing a grin and a bow tie, he was waiting behind the carriage. She blinked at his sudden appearance and took a step back, so startled out of her fuming mood. Unfortunately, she had forgotten about the Duke, who she had bumped into, and he was rather unhappy about it.

"How _dare_ you, impertinent girl!" He shouted. She didn't have the time to greet the Doctor then; she was too busy trying to repair that fake smile so she could beg forgiveness for being so clumsy. She opened her mouth to apologize to the blustering man before she realized that he had his cane poised to strike at her. She only thought to react once it was already falling through the air, but then it was too late. The Doctor bumped against her shoulder as the he reached out a hand, snatching the cane and holding it firmly in the air.

"No no." The Doctor tsked the man as if he were scolding a child. "We don't use that to hit."

"I'm so terribly sorry my lord," Calypso thought the Duke's head might explode, he was so _incredibly_ red. "It was my mistake-"

"Shut your mouth you _whore!_" He spat at her, still struggling to bring his cane down from the Doctor's grip. "I'll have you both beheaded-"

"_That_ is quite enough." The Doctor said in a dark tone that she did not recognize. There wasn't a trace of amusement in his eyes as he yanked the staff from the man's hands and threw it aside, closing the distance between them with a single step. "I would choose your next words very _very_ carefully." The Doctor was a tower next to the short man, but that wasn't what was so intimidating. In fact, she didn't know _what_ it was; she would never have described the Doctor as a scary man before. But menace seemed to radiate off him in waves, and she was afraid of what he might do if the Duke did _not_ choose so carefully. They stood that way, in a standoff, for a long moment, the Doctor's eyes boring holes into the man's skull. But finally, the Duke stepped back, dropping his gaze. He flicked it angrily at Calypso, clearly not as intimidated by her as he was the Doctor, and he wanted to make _that_ clear.

"I shall find my own way to the rooms." He hissed at her, storming away, his elbow knocking into the Doctor who just watched him go.

"As you please, my lord." She curtsied as he went, but he didn't spare her another look.

"Well, he was rather _rude_." The Doctor made a face. The anger was suddenly gone, or perhaps simmering below the surface. It was as if it had never been. He turned his attention to her and he smiled. "Calypso, how have you been?" He gathered her in his arms for a hug, and she was surprised to find she was glad to hug him back. It was a strange feeling to be comforted by the fact that he was so familiar with her, and even pleased to see her. A soothing balm spread over that memory of their last meeting. She wasn't sorry to put that behind her.

And yet, she didn't really know _this_ particular man very well at all. Though it seemed he knew her well enough for the both of them. And she couldn't deny that she was happy to see him. In fact, 'ecstatic' might have even been a better choice of words.

"I've been well." She said with her own smile as he pulled back from her, his hands lingering on her shoulders. Something in his gaze made her remember how their last meeting had gone, and she felt herself start to blush.

"How many?" He asked, with a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth.

"Seven." She said quickly, she reached for her necklace as a habit, but she knew she didn't really need to count the beads. "And you?"

He smiled and let out a pent up sigh. "Many more than seven." He squeezed her shoulders and kissed the top of her head before letting his arms drop. But he kept his grip on her hand. "Come along, I've got something to show you." He jerked his head toward the gardens and started to pull her forward.

"Hold on just a minute, I can't just drop everything and go with you," She said with a laugh, dragging her feet to a stop. "I might well lose my job over this."

"Oh, perfect," He said with a smile. "So then you haven't got any plans?"

"I might!" She was still resisting his pull on her, but just barely. After all, what was another day of servitude when she could be with _him_? The man who traveled among the stars. "If I work hard. I doubt anyone will be swayed by the Duke's harsh words. He is not as popular as he might imagine himself to be."

"Well, I can certainly see why." The Doctor said mildly. "It doesn't matter, you're job is going to be obsolete shortly. Come on, I've made a picnic." He seemed quite pleased with the idea.

"Obsolete? What do you mean?" She watched him with suspicion.

"What?" He looked suddenly guilty. "Nothing. I don't know. Did I say obsolete? I just meant you should ditch it. It's a rubbish job anyway. Bet there's loads better things you could be doing than dealing with fussy old men. Like a circus!" He brightened up. "Bet you'd love a good circus." He grinned at her in that manic way and she felt her resolve melting. "What do you say? Picnic, sunny day, dashing stranger. I packed the basket myself."

She sighed. She could continue to argue, but she knew it was futile. He would eventually wear her down. Besides, it wasn't as if she _didn't_ want to go. It was just that she knew she probably _shouldn't_. There was an important distinction there, to her at least.

"You know, I'm starting to wonder if you're worth all this trouble." She let his momentum pull her forward finally and his grin grew even broader as he led her down the steps into the gardens.

"Of course I am."

"Says you." She snorted at him.

"Actually, says you." He winked at her over his shoulder and whatever resistance she had left fluttered away along with the pleasant butterflies in her stomach.

"I've never been here before." Calypso surveyed the hedges around them with interest. She had always thought the gardens were familiar to her, a home away from home. She spent as much of her time out here as she could, weather permitting, and sometimes, even when the weather didn't. She felt they were grander than the palace itself, though she knew there would be some who disagreed with her.

But the Doctor was taking her much deeper into the gardens than she had ever been, not knowing that the hedges continued this far from the Grand Canal. But they did, and they soared far above both of their heads, giving everything, even their steps on the path, a hushed whisper. She felt almost trapped within the glossy green foliage that surrounded her. Her eyes lingered on the man in the tweed jacket who still held her hand, leading her along. _Almost_ trapped.

"Had an old friend put it back here, Andre. Good fellow. Had a real eye for design. He made sure to put it off the beaten track. Ah-" He stopped in front of yet another set of hedges, seemingly no different from the others. "Here we are." He ducked his head into the leaves and stepped back, his hair slightly ruffled from the disturbance. "Yes, this is the one. Ladies first." He said with a smile as he used his free hand to push back one of the thicker branches, almost like a door. She shot him a suspicious look, but he gave her an encouraging nod and so she ducked into the hedge. It took her only a moment to realize that this particular hedge was greatly trimmed back, beneath the leaves, it was nearly hollow and it didn't take her long to cross to the other side. She pushed through hesitantly, the twigs scratching at her arms and face. But she finally crossed the barrier, and she found a small oasis waiting for her on the other side.

What most immediately caught her attention was the tree standing at the center, it was nearly as high as the hedges, but it seemed to spread wider than it grew tall. Several trunks bloomed up from the ground, creating a dome of dusky orange and red. The tiny leaves rippled in the breeze like a fire, and as they fell to the ground, she could see that they were like tiny stars. She had never seen anything like it before.

There was also a small stream that wove its way past the tree, disappearing below the hedges near where they stood. All along its banks were various wild flowers, still blossoming, despite the lateness of the year. The rest of the grove was lush grass, and below the shade of the tree, a thick red blanket waited for them, with a filled basket in the center.

"So," The Doctor said as he emerged from the hedge, standing close enough that their shoulders brushed against each other. "What do you think?" He looked down at her, almost apprehensively.

"Oh, it's lovely." She said a little breathlessly. He grinned, clearly pleased with himself and she knelt to pick up one of the leaves that had fluttered down nearby. Twirling it between her thumb and forefinger.

"I thought you might like it." He said, sounding quite smug.

"But…" She looked up from the leaf. "The grass is cut, who-" She frowned at him; surely it wouldn't look like this if it had gone wild.

"I know a guy." He shrugged in his mysterious way.

"Of course you do." She shook her head with a smile. He plucked the leaf from her fingers and tucked it over her ear, tweaking her nose as he withdrew his hand.

"Come on. The picnic waits. I even brought you wine. Very French," He made a sour face as they crossed to the blanket. "But utter rubbish."

"What kind of tree is this?" She brushed her hand against the trunk as she sat down, staring up at its branches in wonder.

"That, is an Acer Palmatum." He flopped down beside her and pressed his hand against the rough bark, as though greeting an old friend. "A Japanese maple. The very last." His voice sounded sad as he spoke.

"The last?" She asked, withdrawing her hand.

"Well," He shrugged. "Not right _now._ It's the very last, later. Much much later. Billions of years from now, and billions of miles away from Earth as well." His eyes grew distant as he smiled, remembering some fond memory. "A long time from now, it is the last Japanese maple seed. And they ask me to save it."

"Who did?" Her voice was almost a whisper; her admiration of the beauty of the tree was now joined by her awe of it. She always felt like such a child when he spoke like this. Of alien planets, and times so far in the future that the world around her would turn to dust. Or when he spoke of so distant in the past that everything unraveled out of existence. It was all quite a bit to take in, and yet, she felt herself warming to that thrill.

"The trees." He said with a sniff. "But that's boring." He leaned over to the basket and plucked out the dark bottle within. After some struggling with the cork, he managed to open it and pour a glass of the burgundy wine for her. He handed it over, and she didn't protest when he sat himself down closer to her than he had been before.

"What have you been doing? When did I see you last?" He asked, genuinely interested.

"It was the first time we met," She took a sip from the glass, it was sweet and sharp on her tongue, he _must_ be a mad man not to enjoy this. "Well, the first time _you_ met me." She added.

"Ah," His focus faded and his mouth hung open as he tried to think back. "Blimey! But that was here. Have you been here this whole time?" He looked at the watch on his wrist. "That'd be nearly _thirty_ years. Have you been here thirty years?" He asked incredulously.

"No," She laughed at him, wiping her chin where she had spilled some of her drink. "I left soon after you did. I've only been here again a few months."

"Oh, that's good." He nodded. "Very good. That'd be an awful long wait-oh." He paused, looking at her sheepishly. "I'm sorry. I wasn't very pleasant that first time, was I?" She plucked some of the bread from the basket to avoid looking at him directly. She didn't want to admit just how much she _had_ been hurt by that first meeting. That meeting when he had looked straight through her like she wasn't even there.

"Oh, I'm sure I wasn't very gracious the first time I met you." She shrugged.

"Nonsense." He scoffed at her. "You were perfect. Brilliant. And you've been lovely ever since." She felt her smile returning to her face. And then he brought his hand up to her cheek, brushing his thumb against her skin. She found herself trapped in his gaze and she shivered. "You _are_ lovely." He added with a smile. She could feel his hand pulling her face ever so slightly forward. It wasn't strong enough that she couldn't resist. But then, she wasn't really interested in resisting. Her heart hammered in her chest as she grew close enough to him that she could feel his breath on her cheek. He was just as intoxicating as the wine, this man who _knew_ her so intimately. It felt like somehow, she knew him as well. Though, not now. Somewhere, out in the universe, there was another version of herself, a version who knew this man _exactly_ as well as he knew her. And right then, she thought she could almost _be_ her. She swallowed and moistened her bottom lip.

"Calypso," The Doctor spoke hoarsely. "I wonder if I might-" He searched her eyes, seeking permission.

"Absolutely." She closed the distance between them, the bread fell from her fingers, forgotten.

But suddenly their tiny grove was interrupted by the wretched screams and the sudden silence of a man dying.


	14. Versailles Revolution Part 2

**A/N: Alright, so I started out thinking I was going to make this all historically accurate. Gods know why. I saw the facts, I didn't like the facts. So I changed the facts. I'm going to have that printed on a t-shirt in latin and start selling it to historians. Anyway. In case anyone cares. I thought I'd mention it. Additionally, thank you all my fine readers! I really appreciate your feedback!  
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><p><strong>-1789-<strong>

**-Versailles-**

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><p>"Stay here." He warned Calypso with a finger. He was up on his feet and halfway across the grove before she had even realized it.<p>

"What _was_ that?" She stood up, bracing herself against the tree. The scream had effectively ruined whatever peaceful atmosphere the garden had once held. In its place, there was a cold dread.

"Shh." He turned back to her and pressed a finger against his lips. He peered through the leaves of the hedge for a moment before nodding. "Stay here. It'll be alright." He offered a small smile before he ducked through the bushes and disappeared.

"That…_man." _She fumed in a hushed whisper. She finished her wine in one last gulp, feeling like it was the right thing to do. There was nothing left now but to wait, he would be back. He always was, wasn't he? But that didn't stop her from walking to the very edge of the grass and peering through the bushes where she had seen him last. She thought she could just make out the light color of the gravel path. Though she couldn't be sure it was anything other than the sunlight filtering through, until a pair of shadows flickered past. She stepped back quickly, pressing her hand against her mouth to muffle her gasp of surprise.

"Still seems a bit off." She heard a man speak from beyond the bushes, his voice slightly muted by the foliage. She could hear them dragging something and they came to a stop just beyond the garden. "Killing the servants, I mean. He's just a gardener, isn't he?"

"A friend of the king is an enemy of the people." Another man grunted unsympathetically.

"It's not like it's his fault," The first man continued to argue. "Just lucky to have a job I bet." He didn't seem too thrilled to be involved with whatever they were doing. Calypso slowly crept forward, trying to make sure she could hear them clearly.

"So what are you then, Fernand? A royalist?" The second man's voice was sharp now, accusatory.

"Course not! I'm just saying-"

"Well don't." The man spoke with finality. "The march is nearly here and we don't need any more of these folks in the way then there already are. They'll have enough trouble taking the palace with all them guards out front. It's us or them, right?"

"Right." Fernand said finally in a tone of grim determination. Whatever misgivings he'd had were likely pushed aside by the fear of being caught on the wrong side of his companion.

"Alright. Let's go. Likely to be more out here somewhere." They dropped the thing they had been dragging and she could hear their footsteps retreating the way they had come. A march on the palace? Would they take on Versailles just as they had taken the Bastille? People were going to die, people she knew and worked with. And the King. Despite the Doctor's warnings to stay put, she had to warn them. With her hands shaking nervously, she pushed back the branches, trying to be as quiet as she could. When she pushed through the gap, she found the gardener, Henri. His body was sprawled unceremoniously on the path, a weak effort had been made to stuff him under the hedge. His face was pale and the evidence of his death had poured down the front of his shirt in a dark stain. She swallowed back her panic and gave him a wide berth; she could do nothing for him.

She wasn't completely familiar with this part of the garden, but she had been paying enough attention on the way here that she thought she could make her way back to the palace quicker than the two men who had murdered Henri. She finally found herself on familiar paths and knew exactly where she was. Gathering her skirts she prepared to run, needing all the time she could get. When suddenly a hand clamped over her mouth and pulled her back toward one of the open gardens. She struggled as she was dragged, trying to scream but her efforts became muffled. Flinging her arms around wildly she spun and caught sight of familiar floppy brown hair. She let out a sigh of relief as she recognized the Doctor, who looked surprised to see her.

"What are you-" But his scolding cut short.

"Did you hear something?" They both heard the voice and froze. It was nearby, _much_ too close. The Doctor dragged her along, his hand still covering her mouth as he ducked behind the curve of the hedges near the entrance of the garden. He pressed further into the leaves, hoping that the man wouldn't think to step inside. The cramped space in the foliage might have been intimate in any circumstance that didn't mean life or death for them both. The Doctor's tall frame shielded much of her from view, but she doubted that would do much good if the man spotted them. She tried to calm her beating heart; it was so loud in her ears that she was certain it would give them away. They heard the man's footsteps on the gravel path as he approached, just barely entering the garden. She could see him, just past the Doctor's shoulder; a pale figure against the green hedges. Her panicked eyes went to the Doctor, but his gaze was locked on the intruder, waiting.

"Hello?" She thought she recognized the voice as Fernand's. He didn't seem to have noticed them; his gaze was looking beyond the fountains in the center.

"Talking to the birds now?" The other man called from beyond the path with scorn in his voice.

"Just thought I heard something, is all." Fernand turned around without a glance in their direction. She felt her heart slowly start to return to its normal state as the silence grew longer and longer, signaling the men had gone. The Doctor finally stepped away from her, and with a warning glare, stepped out onto the main path to make sure the coast was clear. He returned shortly, looking rather angry with her.

"I thought I told you to _stay_ in the garden." His voice was a harsh whisper as he pointed a stern finger at her.

"They mean to _kill_ everyone they come across." She made sure her own voice was lowered. "There's to be a mob on the palace. I think they intend to take control of Versailles." They were headed that way even now, how many other unsuspecting servants would those men come across while they argued?

"Yes. And I told you to stay _put_." He said very definitely.

"You…you knew?" She shook her head, disbelieving. But then she remembered earlier, how he had spoken of her position being 'obsolete'. When she had questioned him about it, he had changed the subject. "Of course you knew." She said, feeling stupid. The sense of betrayal slithered down her back like an icy rain. When she looked up at him, he didn't even bother to deny it. "Why didn't you tell me? I could have warned them." She glared up at him, her eyes full of fire.

"That's not how it works." He spoke the words softly, but it was as though they were set in stone. "This is a fixed point."

"Why?" Her words were growing louder as the anger swept through her. People were going to _die_, people she knew and cared about. He could have prevented that. Instead, he had wanted to go on a _picnic_. "How could you?"

"Because sometimes, that's just how it is." His own annoyance seemed to be growing as well.

"Well maybe that's how it is for you, but it's _not_ for me." She huffed at him, passing his shoulder to exit the garden. She _would_ warn the palace, no matter what he said about 'fixed' points.

"Calypso!" He hissed, but she didn't turn back. He was forced to run after her and grab her arm. It did have the intended effect of stopping her, but the fury in her eyes as she turned on him was probably not what he had in mind. "Calypso, I'm sorry." He said with a labored sigh. "It's not that I wouldn't. But this _is_ a fixed point. This is the start of the revolution. I can't change that, any more than you can." He sounded defeated, as if he had fought battles like this before, and lost. She believed him, but she wasn't ready to give up.

"I can still warn them." She argued. "They have the right to be prepared."

"You could," He gripped her shoulders, but she tried to shrug him off. "But then more would die." He said sadly.

"_More_?" She whispered a little breathlessly. "How many?" She asked, not really wanting to know the answer. "How many will die?"

"Most of the guards." He said, not quite meeting her gaze. "But most of the staff will be spared. Those who don't fight back, anyway." If he had meant that to be reassuring, he had failed. She felt her stomach twist into knots, all those people, all those _lives_. And they would all end, abruptly, and likely in fear. But she understood what he was saying then, what her warning would mean.

"If I warn them…" She had to say it aloud, to be sure of its truth. "They would prepare. And they would fight." She swallowed, trying to contain the lump of dread that grew in her throat.

"Yes." He spoke the word softly but it felt like a slap in the face. There was no satisfaction in his voice, only pain. And she could see it reflected in his hazel eyes.

"Then there is nothing we can do." She stared at the ground, demoralized, thinking of those who were going about their normal day, unaware of what was to come.

"Not for them, no." He gripped her chin gently and pulled her gaze back to him. "I'm sorry, Calypso."

"You should have told me." She said, feeling hurt still. Of course, she probably would have made things more difficult, but she didn't care. She needed someone to take her anger out on, and he was there.

"Yes, I should have." He nodded, taking it. It wasn't fair, it wasn't his fault. And yet he just seemed to accept it, as if that was a burden he was used to shouldering.

"What should we do?" She asked in a gentler tone. She wasn't quite ready to apologize, but she knew she should. She tried to push the thought of the mob away from her mind.

"Ideally," He looked over his shoulder. "We get back to the TARDIS." He offered a small reconciliatory smile. "As quickly, and as safely as possible." He added.

"Okay." She nodded.

"Right then," He clapped his hands together bracingly. "And we're off." He strode out into the open, and with a look both ways, headed in the opposite direction of the men. She hesitated only a moment before taking a deep breath and setting off after him. She took a few steps before she was, yet again, grabbed from behind. But this time she had no illusions that it might be the Doctor. The hand clamped over her nose and mouth and she struggled not only to get free, but also to breathe.

"Well, look what we've got here." The man behind her sounded quite pleased and she recognized his voice; he was the one who had been keen for violence.

"Told you I heard something." Fernand came into view, he was an older man, most of his hair had gone white and it hung over his head in thin wisps.

"What's a sweet maid like yourself doing out here alone in the gardens?" She muffled angry threats into his palm, sucking in what little air she could through her nose.

"Let her go." The Doctor's voice was low and deadly as he stood at the end of the path.

"No." The man who held her tight snickered. The Doctor took two long strides toward them, glowering as he came. The man dropped his hand from her mouth and she gasped gratefully. "One more step and I'll bleed her like a pig." His voice was a warning as he held a sharp blade to her throat. The Doctor froze mid step. She trembled as she felt the cold iron press against her skin. Her heart cried out a warning, and she knew instinctively that if this man did cause her to bleed out, she would _actually _die. She didn't know how she knew, but there was no doubt in her mind that it was the truth.

"Bernard," The old man hissed nearby. "She's a _woman_."

"She was sneaking around," Bernard shot his partner a glare. "Just like him. Means they're against us. Don't it?"

"Listen to me." The Doctor started to take a step forward, but Bernard jerked her around in his grip and she felt the metal bite into her flesh, a sharp burning sensation followed. It hadn't been deep, or even intentional, but it set her heart racing all the same. The Doctor retreated immediately and held his hands up. "Just _listen_." He said. "I just want to talk."

"Talk?" Bernard scoffed at him. "You just want to delay us so you can warn the King." He accused the Doctor, but there was little anger in his tone. Some movement out of the corner of her eye caught Calypso's attention. Fernand was reaching for his belt where a pistol rested on his hip.

"No. Not at all. I wish you all the luck in the world with your revolution." The Doctor smiled placatingly. "Honestly. All I want is to take her, and leave. We're not a part of this. And I'm sure we're taking up time that you could be spending…making posters…or guillotines."

"Of course you're a part of it. Dressed like that. You're one of them nobles." Bernard drew the blade across Calypso's throat lightly; she felt the burning pain spread. "I think I'll cut both your throats."

"You don't want to do that." The Doctor's eyes grew darker as he spoke. Darker than she had ever seen them, like the angry clouds of an oncoming storm. "You don't want to even _think_ about doing that. Or I swear to you, Bernard. You will be so _so _sorry." He wasn't looking at Fernand who was cocking the pistol and looking to Bernard for approval.

"No!" She screamed as she saw him nod once. She slammed the back of her head into Bernard's nose as hard as she could and shoved at his arm. She felt the cold of the blade as it sliced into her, and the scorching agony that followed it. She ignored it as she pressed her palm against her neck and ran for the Doctor, who looked a little bewildered.

"What are you-" He frowned as she approached.

"Run!" She shouted, grabbing for his hand with her free one. They both heard the pistol go off behind them, along with Bernard's angry curses. They flinched and ducked as the gravel near their feet exploded, sending tiny rocks showering into their legs. The Doctor didn't wait for another invitation and with her hand tightly in his own; they took off, rounding the corner. Hoping to buy some time while Fernand was forced to reload. She could feel the warm blood spilling between her fingers as she ran, but she couldn't stop now. If she stopped, the Doctor would stop. She was pretty sure she could feel the tingling in her fingers, the sensation of her escape, but she couldn't be sure. It could be from her heart pounding as they raced through the gardens, or it could be from the loss of blood. There was too much for her to focus on at once, so she just worried about running, forcing her legs to pump fast enough to keep up with the Doctor. She was relieved when they finally turned a corner and she was greeted by the blue box, waiting for them near the center of a small pond decorated with statues. The TARDIS seemingly floating above the water, ready for them. Another fire shot after them and they heard the bullet skitter across the gravel on the path they had just left.

"Close one, eh?" The Doctor grinned at her a little breathlessly, but the amused glint in his eyes faded as he saw her blood soaked hand. "What-you're _bleeding_."

"Yes." She nodded her agreement as they walked toward the pond.

"A lot!" He exclaimed. Almost forgetting that they were running for their lives.

"It's fine." She said with some effort. "Let's get inside." She stumbled slightly as she tried to climb the marble edge of the pond, but he caught her in his arms.

"Oh," He scowled down at her as he snapped his fingers to open the TARDIS door. Bending down he scooped her feet up off the ground. "You are in _so_ much trouble." He wasn't amused at all as he splashed through the water and carried her to the ship.

"They were going to shoot you," She argued feebly, the pressure she was applying to her neck was gradually growing weaker.

"You cut your own throat!" He scolded her irritably as he set her down gently in the jump chair. "Why've I always got to pick the problematic ones?" He muttered as he turned away, grabbing a towel that had been stuffed beneath the console. "Here," He said more gently as he returned. "Move your hand. This is filthy, but it'll help stop the bleeding." She let him pull her stiff fingers aside and he hissed in a breath as he saw the damage.

"That bad is it?" She tried to smile but didn't really feel up to it.

"It's worse." He said quietly as he pressed the towel against her throat. It throbbed angrily under the pressure, but it was somewhat muted. "What were you _thinking_?" He shook his head, looking up at her through pained eyes.

"It's okay." Her voice was growing fainter.

"No. It's _not_ okay." He insisted sternly.

"No, look." With a great effort, she lifted her arms so he could see them. Her right was still covered in the same sticky blood that she could feel crusting down her neck, but they both flickered with that yellow glowing flame. As she did so, she felt the TARDIS watching her, somehow, knowing _what_ she was, _who_ she was. She let her eyes drift to the console reluctantly, deep down, she feared that knowledge.

"How did…" He shook his head with a frown. "Did you know?"

"An educated guess." She didn't think it was a good idea to let him know that her educated guess was that if she had been wrong, she could have died. She dragged her gaze from the center of the ship and looked back into his eyes. "It was a nice picnic." She did make an effort to smile, even if it was a weak one. "Thank you."

"Hah." He said without humor. "It was a rubbish picnic."

"It was nice to see you again, anyway." The pain in her throat was fading, along with the feeling everywhere else. She could see the glow rising up around her, enveloping her entirely. The Doctor saw it too and bent forward, kissing her forehead once and pressing his temple against hers.

"Goodbye." He whispered as she vanished.


	15. London

**A/N: The next Doctor! This is your pre warning that I'm about to rip right through an episode and change it all sorts of crazy. Some of the lines I'll keep the same, some I won't. Thanks for reading!**

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><p><strong>-1851-<strong>

**-London-**

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><p>Calypso's head was throbbing as she came to, and her stomach felt like it had been twisted around inside her. With a grumble, she opened her eyes; each jump was always like this, the feeling of too much wine the night before. Except the night before had possibly been many miles away, and certainly many years. It was too dark to see much, but she could smell something damp. Fragments started to come back as she sat up slowly, willing the world around her to stop spinning. It was always a little unsettling, the pieces falling back together every time she woke like this. It felt a bit like a dream, where she had started to forget the details. But then they would rush back, making her feel sick and dizzy all over again.<p>

Her hand went to her throat suddenly, worried that perhaps she had been wrong. Worried that she had jumped forward, only so she could bleed to death somewhere else. But she had not been wrong, the laceration on her skin had healed, it wasn't even tender where she pressed her fingers. The blood was absent too, and strangely enough, the collar of her dress had also been cleaned. Some kind of intergalactic bathing service. Very unsettling.

With that solved, she made an effort to stand, and although she was unsteady, she managed. The ground beneath her was wood, and as her eyes adjusted to the dim light of the city that surrounded her, she could see she was on a wharf. She turned around looking to the river where she was standing, thinking perhaps she recognized the Thames. It looked a bit busier than when she had seen it last, the wharf filled with all sorts of boats, all docked for the evening. And quite a bit fouler smelling as well.

London, she was in London. At least that was settled. Now she just had to figure out _when_ she was. The docks were empty this late at night; all the anglers had likely gone to the pub for the evening. The streets themselves seemed quite active. She headed toward the road, wanting to find some place to rest. Perhaps a warm stable somewhere where she could go unnoticed. At least until her sickness passed and then she could start her proper search for work. The first few days were always the most difficult, sometimes having to beg for food and shelter. Other times having to steal it.

A noise on one of the docked ships startled her from her thoughts and her grumbling stomach. She paused mid step, searching in the dim light.

"Hello?" She asked into the cold evening air. She wasn't interested in getting into any more trouble so soon after she had arrived. She already felt miserable, if she was forced to jump again so soon she was certain she would end up heaving wherever she next landed. The thought itself agitated her nausea. "Is there anyone-" It jumped from the ship to the dock with an unnatural awkwardness. It lurched forward and she got a better view. It was as dark as the night and furry to boot. She must have startled some dog from its rest.

"Oh, hello there." She said, somewhat cheered. She wasn't quite ready to deal with people yet and this seemed like a nice compromise. "Have you got a nice place to sleep down there?" She asked hopefully, hunching over and reaching out with her hand to coax the animal forward. As it turned, the lamplight from the road caught its face. It had a _metal_ face, and it took another mechanical step forward.

"No," She said, shaking her head and taking a step back toward the end of the dock. "Stay back." She warned it, her voice was a hushed whisper now. She looked around for anything that might be used to defend herself. What kind of dog had a _metal_ face? And what would keep it away? At this point, she'd be satisfied with a stick with some heft, but there seemed to be nothing. She really ought to start carrying a dagger on her person. It continued to close the distance between them and she realized that she was rapidly running out of dock to retreat to.

"Help!" She finally found the voice to cry out. Surely, someone from the street would come to her aid. "Please! Help!" But the gloom of the dock was thick and seemed to swallow up her voice. The noises from the city were too rowdy with the sounds of drinking for her cries to be heard. She would just have to jump into the river, as unappealing as that seemed. And she would have to hope that this…_creature_ couldn't swim.

"Not to worry!" A voice shouted in the darkness. It was a man but she could only make out his shadowy silhouette in the dim light. "I'm here to help. Come here you beastie!" He shouted, swinging a rope over his head and lassoing the creature. The dog-monster turned to the man, snarling at the rope, and then it charged. The man lifted something she couldn't quite make out and tossed it off the end of the dock, landing with a splash. Before the beast could reach him, the rope pulled taught and started to drag the animal scuttling backward. It slipped off the end of the dock and with a heavy wet explosion; it too fell into the river.

"There, that should do it." The man said confidently as he clapped his hands together and stepped forward. She could just make out his features now; he looked kind, brown hair and brown eyes covering a smiling face. He wore a tan jacket over a crimson vest and looked to be quite wealthy. "Are you hurt?" He inquired.

"N…no." Calypso finally found her voice and shook her head. Realizing with some relief that she really was alright. "Thank you, sir." She said with gratitude.

"Ah, it was no trouble. Come, I can offer you a place to rest." He smiled, taking her arm in his own and leading her up from the docks. "It is what I have sworn myself to do. Keep the people of London safe. There have been a few of these creatures lurking about recently. It is enough to make me worry about the future." Calypso found no comfort in knowing that there were more of those things out there. "I believe they arrived with the cybermen, and that is troubling news indeed.

"Cybermen?" Calypso asked curiously, that was certainly something new from the last time she had been in London.

"Yes, my sworn enemy." He nodded solemnly as they arrived on the streets. The yellow lamps above were reassuring, though she knew it was just as dangerous as the dark had been. "Why…By the stars, I know you!" He was suddenly beaming at her. She looked up at him, startled. He didn't look familiar to her at all, but he seemed convinced that he knew her. "Rosita! My trusted assistant!" He took her hand and shook it eagerly.

"Rosita?" She said with a frown. "I think you must be mistaken…"

"My traveling companion! Through time and space on the TARDIS!"

She felt an icy chill, she _did_ recognize that word.

"Who are you?" She looked at him, afraid she already knew the answer.

"Why, I'm the Doctor!" He was still beaming at her as she felt like the ground had dropped out from beneath her. "Come now, the TARDIS has yet to be finished!"


	16. London Part 2

**-1851-**

**-London-**

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><p>It had been a week and nothing had changed. Well, that wasn't quite right, <em>everything<em> had changed. But it hadn't changed back to the way she expected it. She thought, surely, once she had spent some time with the Doctor, that he would start to remember. Or at _least_ recognize her name was Calypso. She had corrected him several times now, and each time it was like a new reminder. What was worse was when he _did_ try to remember, there was always an invisible battle that he struggled with internally. Memories that refused to surface peacefully, or at all. She had finally given up, growing accustomed to responding to Rosita and she tried not to let on that it upset her. In truth, it seemed to upset him as well. Not just her name, but also the missing gaps in his mind that lingered on. That was what frightened _her_ the most. Something was _wrong_ with the Doctor. Had an accident occurred with the last regeneration? Was this the man that would follow the floppy haired Doctor she had seen last?

She was starting to secretly hope that he wasn't.

For her part, it wasn't just the absent memories, or the inability to remember her name. He _seemed_ different. She supposed that was unfair, after all, the two men she had met were also different from each other. And yet, after the initial surprise of a completely new face, she had at least recognized similarities. This man seemed to have many of the same strange words, and certainly the bravery, but he wasn't _right_. So while this had been the longest stretch of time she had spent with the man, she was still missing the Doctor. As strange as that sounded.

He was actively hunting the cybermen, and their beastly creatures. So she had endeavored to help him, hoping, somewhat in vain, that he would remember her. It _was_ nice to know some things didn't change. Like the Doctor's penchant for finding trouble wherever he went. They had yet to find the cybermen, but they had found several of the beasts. Along with mysterious cases of people vanishing from the streets, never to be seen again. The Doctor suspected it was the cybermen who murdered these victims, and it all started with Jackson Lake. They camped in an old stable house with the dead man's luggage, though the Doctor never mentioned if he had found any clues among the bags.

Making herself useful had made things at least comfortable between the two of them, but she still felt like a stranger. She found herself, more than once, wishing that _her_ Doctor was there. At the very least, to explain what was going on. But wishing had certainly never helped her in the past, and she doubted it was going to help this time either. This man seemed so sad, so _broken_ sometimes; and at night his dreams turned to nightmares; she feared what kind of life he had lived to have demons haunt him even in his sleep. When she roused him, all he could speak of was the thing they had stolen from him, so precious, and yet he could never remember what it was. She realized that they had taken something from her as well, but she never admitted that aloud.

They had just tracked one of the creatures to an empty warehouse along the water. Their plan was to capture this one, as opposed to destroy it outright. And if they could find nothing of use there, they hoped to gain some information by snooping around the recently vacated home of another of the cybermen's mysterious victims.

It was just as well that they discovered the trouble sooner rather than later, not only for the benefit of London, but also for her sanity. If the Doctor quoted that her help wasn't needed because it was 'no work for a woman' again, she was probably going to have to kill him. She had gotten used to it enough over the years from other people, but never from the Doctor. She hadn't realized how refreshing it had been until he had started. She wondered absently if Donna had met this new Doctor, certain that the fiery redhead would have a thing or two to say about it.

She had to remind herself that he _had_ saved her that night on the wharf, and he was a decent man. It was just getting harder to do. Especially when he ran off and left her behind to 'sound the alarm' like he had only a moment ago to pursue a cyber beast into the warehouse. But then, just when she was nearly ready to slap him, something would trigger his fragmented recollections and he would stare off into space. Seeking the past that eluded him at every opportunity, desperately close to finding the thing that had torn his soul asunder. His eyes grew so filled with sorrow in those moments that her heart ached for him. Those times, she almost wished he never _would_ remember whatever darkness plagued him.

The doors of the warehouse shook before her, startling her from her somber thoughts. She heard the mangled cry of the creature inside as it threw itself against the barricade once more. She jumped back, feeling her heart leap wildly in her chest.

"Doctor!" She called out, unprepared to take on the animal herself. They had been relying on their wits to destroy the beasts so far, and they hoped that snagging one would work similarly. Of course, that didn't mean she shouldn't have brought something with which to defend herself, a choice she was having some regrets about. "Doctor!" She shouted more urgently as the creature charged the door once more, causing the dusty timbers to shudder as if they would buckle.

"Don't worry! Don't worry!" He ran up alongside her. She was too terrified to tear her gaze away from the ever-weakening door, but something about his arrival nagged at her. "Stand back," He warned, she had no intention of doing otherwise. "What have we got here?" He seemed very curious for something he should have been familiar with. "Okay, I've got it. And whatever's behind that door, I think you should get out of here." He gently ushered her back from the door with his hand and she stared at him curiously. He hadn't finished with his customary 'this is no work for a woman' or any other condescending nonsense. Not only that, but his voice was _different_, lighter somehow. And so was his clothing. A long brown coat covered a dark suit, not what she had seen him in this morning and she doubted he'd had the time to change.

"Doctor?" She said a little uncertainly, his hair was stuck up at odd angles as well.

"Yes? Hello?" He turned to wave at her when his brown eyes caught hers and broke into a broad grin.

"Calypso!" He rushed forward and picked her up in his arms for a hug. "Oh, it is _so_ good to see you." He laughed.

"How…how can there be two of you?" She asked, bewildered. Though that didn't stop the smile from her face and she couldn't deny that she was pleased to see him.

"What?"

"Don't worry!" The new Doctor, or at least, the least familiar Doctor, came running up as the doors trembled again. "I've got it, stand back! This is no place for a lady!" If looks could kill, Calypso imagined her glare might have turned the man stone dead.

"Hold on." The Doctor said with a frown, returning Calypso to the ground and letting his hands slide down her arms. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor." He said with a triumphant smile. "Simply, the Doctor. The one, the only. And the best." He looked to Calypso with his hand outstretched. "Rosita, get me the sonic screwdriver." With a sigh, Calypso retrieved the screwdriver from her pocket. It was certainly nothing special, as far as she could tell. But the Doctor seemed to rely on it quite a bit for a rusty piece of junk.

"Ros- the sonic what?" The Doctor asked with a confused scowl.

"Now quickly! Back to the TARDIS!" He ordered her.

"Back to the what?" The Doctor's voice raised an octave as he grew more perplexed. His eyes flickered between the new Doctor and Calypso, but she only shrugged. She had hoped _he_ would have the answers for her, not the other way around.

"If you could stand back sir. This is a job for a time lord." The new Doctor squared his shoulders and faced the warehouse, screwdriver in hand, as the door started to splinter against the assault.

"Job for what-lord?" The Doctor just had time to spit out one last remark before the door smashed open. Calypso stifled a surprised shout as she jumped back from the commotion.

"Oh that's different." The Doctor commented with a shrug, pushing his own confusion aside for the moment. Both of the men pointed their chosen weapons at the door, the Doctor with the sonic screwdriver she had come to recognize, glowing with its blue light.

"Allons-y!" They said in unison, shooting each other a strange look as they did so.

The raggedy creature howled at them, looking as though it might rush at them. But it found itself grossly outnumbered, so it leapt up to the wall, looking to escape its torment. The new Doctor ran for the coil of rope he had left nearby and tied the end into a loop.

"Now then," He started to swing the rope over his head with a confident smirk. "Let's pull this timorous beastie down to earth!" He snagged the creature on his first attempt, pulling the line tight and readying himself to yank the animal down. He wrapped his hands in the thick cord and gave a great heave. Instead of the intended effect, he was launched upward with an unexpected lurch. The face of the new Doctor was one of alarmed surprise, and then his feet left the ground as he became airborne.

"Or not." The Doctor shrugged.

"I might be in a bit of trouble!" The new Doctor called from his rapidly increasing altitude.

"Nothing changes." The Doctor said with a grin as he winked at Calypso. "I've got you!" He called out.

"No wait-!" Calypso reached out to stop him, but he had already snatched the end of the rope with both hands.

"Oi!" He grunted as the creature proved stronger than either of them had suspected, they were both now flying through the air. The end of the rope shortly followed the Doctor's white trainers, so even if Calypso had been foolhardy enough to try to grab hold, and she wasn't sure if she would have been, it was too late anyway.

"You idiots!" She yelled up at them, her hands clenched into fists at her side. What exactly was she supposed to do now? Searching along the wall above them, she saw there was only one open window before the roof. If she was lucky, that's where the beast was headed. Of course, she had noticed of late that her luck didn't seem to be particularly great, but she pushed the thought aside. She took off at a run for the stairs through the shattered remains of the door, still hearing the men arguing as they dangled from the rope.

"Perhaps if you could pull-" The new Doctor suggested hopefully. The pitch of his usually low voice indicated that he wasn't particularly fond of heights.

"I am pulling! In this position I couldn't not pull, could I?" The Doctor shouted back.

_Idiots_. She fumed as she took the stairs two at a time, only pausing long enough to grab a rusted and forgotten axe. This time she would definitely need something to defend herself. Or to hit those two blockheads with, she hadn't yet decided.

* * *

><p>"Back to the TARDIS. This is no work for a woman." The new Doctor nodded his dismissal as they watched the house empty of all its occupants.<p>

"Oh? Saving your life? Cleaning up your messes? Is that work for a woman?" She asked, her hands on her hips. She was equally angry with him as she was with the Doctor for mysteriously disappearing.

"The Doctor's companion does as the Doctor says; now off you go." He told her sternly. She briefly imagined the satisfaction of _not_ having cut the rope that was poised to drag him out the window. Only briefly. He ducked around the fence and disappeared behind the home itself. She took a deep calming breath and started to make her way back to the stables.

"Not really a team player anymore?" The familiar voice caught her by surprise as she stormed down the road. The Doctor leaned against the fence, watching them, apparently.

"Have you ever been?" She asked in a hostile manner, continuing to walk past him as though she wouldn't stop.

"Oh, now that's not fair." He pulled a face as he caught her hand, bringing her to a halt. "You're right, I shouldn't have popped off like that. I didn't want to make him suspicious though, he doesn't seem to understand who I am."

"So he is you?" She asked, slightly disappointed to have it confirmed.

"Of course," He watched her strangely. "Are you saying you weren't sure?"

"I don't know." She shook her head; it was hard to communicate what exactly made her think he _wasn't_. But, here was the Doctor, _her_ Doctor, telling her it was true. Still. "He seems so strange. It's not like when I met you, I mean, after you-" The involuntary tightening of the Doctor's features caused her to pause. "It's just different." She finished quietly, avoiding his gaze. Maybe speaking about his other incarnation wasn't something she was supposed to bring up.

"It's alright." He shook it off with a forced smile. "We all have our time, don't we?" She wasn't so sure she could face the knowledge of her own death so casually. "But you're right. There does _seem_ to be something a bit off with him. Something in his memories…" He frowned thoughtfully.

"He doesn't know me either. He recognizes my face, but still calls me 'Rosita'. If I try and correct him, he just gets upset." She added.

"I did wonder about that, thought maybe he'd given you a pet name." He smirked teasingly.

"And he doesn't-" She stopped herself, feeling a little embarrassed. There was no way to say that he didn't appear to have any _feelings_ for her without her turning bright red.

"What?" The Doctor gave her his undivided attention, which made the thought even more unbearable.

"He doesn't have a sonic screwdriver." She thanked the stars she was quick on her feet. "Or a TARDIS."

"But he just said-" He frowned.

"It's not what you think." Calypso sighed, still unsure of what to make of the thing he had built in the courtyard. "There's no life in it. I don't know exactly what it is. He also doesn't have-" She swallowed, forcing herself to say it; after all, it was what _really_ nagged at her the most. "His necklace."

"Oh," The Doctor drawled with an understanding smile. "That doesn't mean anything." He pulled his own from his pocket. "See? I've still got it right here."

"Yes, but…he's from your _future_." She didn't elaborate on what that might mean, or why it bothered her. It was easy enough to read in her eyes, perhaps he had cast her aside, or she had died. Neither prospect was very comforting, but she knew the thought of him having grown tired of her cut the deepest.

"Sure he is, but," He said very pointedly. "He _remembers_ you. He _knows_ your face. He doesn't even remember me. And he _was_ me. At some point." He brought a hand up to her cheek and smiled encouragingly. "Calypso, you're always going to be important to me. _Always_." Her heart warmed slightly under his intense gaze. "Don't you doubt that for a second."

"Sure," She nodded with a smile, she felt reassured for the first time in days.

"Now," He said with a sigh, letting his hand fall. "I'm going to see what he's up to. Seems to have a bit of a knack for stirring up trouble." He said with a wink.

"Sounds like someone I know." She said quietly to his retreating form.


	17. London Part 3

**A/N: Sheesh. That was rough. I'm just having a tough time getting through this one, for whatever reason. But I think I've pushed through the worst, so updates should be a little quicker. Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers and readers!**

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><p><strong>-1851-<strong>

**-London-**

* * *

><p>Calypso traced her fingers across the photo she held. She was remembering that day the Doctor had told her that this was her home. It seemed as though it were ages ago. She found it was difficult to keep track of the time, of the years that she lost when she vanished from the world. She didn't seem to age, so it was nearly impossible to track the time that she <em>did <em>spend living in it. Where the rest went, she wasn't sure. She didn't even know if time applied to her at all, or if she just blinked out of existence in one place to appear in another.

And she knew no one longer than a few years before she lost them as well. Aside from the Doctor. But even that wasn't true, did she really _know_ him? She thought she had, he certainly seemed to know _her _in the future. But this time it had been different. This new Doctor had known _of_ her, but he didn't _know_ who she was. Not like the other Doctor. Was it just his lapse in thought? Was he missing pieces of his past? What it all meant, she wasn't sure. But it reminded her more of her own lost memories. That great void that existed before her time with the Sisters.

Her dreams seemed even more distant now, fading the longer she lived her life. Though they were different, on occasion. Sometimes a smiling face, the familiar hum of a machine. A never-ending hole of blackness. But when she opened her eyes again, they were just fading fragments; turning to dust with the dawn of a new day. When she tried to remember if they had any meaning to her, they were gone as if they had never been.

"There you are!" She said exasperated as both of the men came into view. She stuffed the picture away hastily and breathed out a sigh of relief she hadn't realized she had been holding. The day had trickled into evening, and then night, they had been gone so long. She realized, a little guiltily, that this was not the first time the new Doctor had done this to her, but this had been the first time she had felt well and truly worried. She imagined it had more to do with the fact that she _knew _this Doctor had a habit of finding trouble wherever he went, rather than worrying about him more. But she couldn't be sure.

She was on her feet, running toward the Doctor before she quite realized what she was doing. She stopped herself just before reaching them, and decided it would be better to hug the new Doctor, though she knew she desperately wanted to throw her arms around the man in the dark suit.

"I thought for sure you had gotten yourself killed this time." She said with a small smile, releasing the man and gazing over his shoulder where the Doctor stood, smiling, almost sadly.

"A little decorum, Rosita!" The new Doctor chuckled and patted her on the back. He made his way into the stables. "Is the TARDIS prepared?"

"Yes sir." She said, hanging back to walk next to the Doctor. "I thought you weren't coming back. Where have you two been?"

"Oh, I _always_ come back." He winked and squeezed her hand reassuringly with his own. She smiled as they both wandered into the warmth of the building. "You live here?" The Doctor asked, taking in the unorganized living quarters within the old stables. In the midst of it all, was the evidence that the new Doctor had recovered from where Jackson Lake had disappeared. His luggage was stacked haphazardly around the room, making it a bit of a mess. But it was warm and dry inside, so Calypso could hardly complain. She had certainly slept in worse places.

"Yes," The new Doctor responded as he splashed himself with water. He seemed a bit distracted now that they had returned, as though something he had discovered was not sitting right with him. "A temporary base, till we rout the enemy. The TARDIS is magnificent, but it's hardly a home."

"And where's the TARDIS now?" The Doctor asked as he began to look at the luggage suspiciously.

"In the yard." The new Doctor nodded to the open doorway that would lead outside. "But the chill of Christmas demands a better coat." He set to searching for something warmer to wear in the pile of clothing that he kept near his cot. He continued to speak as he rummaged about, but Calypso found herself having a hard time focusing on his words, the Doctor had retrieved his sonic screwdriver and was scanning about the room with it. Targeting the bags until one started to whirr suspiciously.

"Are you whistling again?" The new Doctor pulled himself from his musings to look at the Doctor with a frown.

"Um. Yes. I am." The Doctor nodded once, tucking the sonic back into his coat. He motioned Calypso to silence when she gave him a calculating gaze.

"What are you up to?" She moved closer so that she couldn't be overheard.

"Investigating a hunch." He popped open the top case that had hummed loudest and began to look inside.

"A hunch? What happened? What did you find in that house?"

"Had a run in with some cybermen." He said distractedly as he went through the clothing. "Oh…what's this then?" He pulled out a small metal cylinder, something that didn't seem to fit the rest of the contents of the suitcase. Or anything else she had seen, for that matter. "Another info stamp." He said wonderingly with a grin.

"That's someone's property." She frowned. Whatever it was, it didn't look safe.

"Well," He drawled. "A _dead_ someone. I'm sure he won't mind." He said absently as he continued to inspect the canister.

"You…" The new Doctor had noticed their activity, but didn't seem overly bothered by what they had discovered. He seemed _distracted_. "You were there that night." He fought with his memories as they tried to resurface once more. "How…?"

"I think I can explain." The Doctor said in a calming tone. "Why don't you show me the TARDIS?"

That seemed to satisfy the new Doctor, he was always cheerful when it came to the TARDIS, his great flying machine. It wasn't the Doctor's TARDIS, but it was certainly impressive, Calypso had to admit that much.

"Of course," He nodded, pushing away his doubts for the moment. He waved them both to the courtyard and they followed. She wondered what the Doctor would make of it, it wasn't a time machine by any means, but it seemed like something only the Doctor could have come up with.

"Oh…" The Doctor said, coming up short as he saw it. Jen stood nearby, her tools spread out around her, though it looked as if she were finished with her work. Her father ran the gas company next door, and they had discovered that she was quite handy when the new Doctor had troubles completing the TARDIS on his own.

"You've got a…balloon." The Doctor just stared, a mix of surprise and awe clearly visible on his face.

"TARDIS." The new Doctor corrected him. "T-A-R-D-I-S. It stands for tethered aerial release developed in style. Do you see?" He seemed anxious to impress the Doctor with his creation, even as he crossed the courtyard to inspect the work Jen had done.

"Well, I do now." The Doctor nodded with a grin. "I like it. Good…TARDIS. Brilliant. It's inflated by gas, yeah?"

"Yes, we're conveniently near the Mutton Street Gasworks. I've worked out a deal with Jen's father here. Of course, I'd be lost without Jen." He smiled at the freckle-faced girl who dusted off her knees as the new Doctor approached. "Have you got that ripped panel repaired?"

"Yes Doctor." She said, cheerfully accepting the pound note he handed to her, the Doctor noticed the roll of money he pulled out from his pocket with interest.

"He's got quite a bit of money." He said to Calypso out of the side of his mouth. She just shrugged, it hadn't seemed proper to ask him about his finances when he had asked for nothing in return for providing her with shelter and food.

"Maybe tonight's the night. Can you imagine it? Christmas eve from above?" Jen's eyes were wistful as she looked up into the sky, imagining drifting through it in the balloon's basket.

"That would be grand." The new Doctor said, his own eyes distant. "Not tonight, I don't think." He looked over to where the Doctor stood. "Can you imagine it? The time, and the space?"

"The perfect escape." The Doctor said, his own words somber. His eyes fell to Calypso, though he continued to speak to the new Doctor. "Do you ever wonder what you're escaping from?" She felt her chest seize up, his words striking a chord deep within, though she couldn't explain why.

"With every moment." The new Doctor replied, almost unthinking.

"Do you want me to tell you? Cause I think I've got it worked out now." The Doctor's voice was sad as he stepped closer. "How you became the Doctor. What do you think? Do you want to know?" Calypso and the new Doctor both swallowed.

"Oh yes." He answered, but Calypso wasn't so sure.

* * *

><p>She was running, running down the streets, searching out the gangs of children that were being forced onward by men controlled with strange devices. The Doctor followed close behind. There was something very wrong going on, they were all being led to the sewers it looked like, and neither of them had any clue why.<p>

Jackson had remained behind, a broken husk of a man. His wife had died that night, that night he had forgotten his past and become the Doctor. His sense of purpose had been torn away from him and she hated to leave him like that. But he had sent her anyway, knowing the Doctor would need help. She knew that as well as anyone, she supposed. And so she had chased after him.

Even now, his words echoed in her thoughts.

_It's not enough to make a man lose his mind. What you suffered is called a fugue. A fugue state._

Why had his brown eyes drifted toward her own when he spoke? Why had his gaze been _so_ intent? And why was it tearing her up inside now?

_Where the mind just runs away cause it can't bear to look back._

She knew there wasn't time to think about it now, but her thoughts kept drifting back. She couldn't stop herself from wondering. Was Jackson Lake not the only person to have suffered such a fate? Was that why the Doctor had looked at her so sadly when Jackson had broken down, remembering his wife. Remembering her death.

"Oh that's cheating, sneaking up! Did you have your legs on silent?" The Doctor suddenly turned from their perch where they had been watching the children vanish underground. Two cybermen stood at either side of an elegant looking woman, dressed in a vibrant shade of crimson, she wore a satisfied smirk on her face. The Doctor stepped forward, blocking Calypso from their path, though she didn't know what he could do to stop them.

"So what do we have here?" The woman asked watching them both carefully. The cybermen didn't move at all, Calypso was afraid if they did, she might scream. They looked like men, but men who had been encased in metal. Indestructible soldiers. She thought of the furry creatures that had come after her, horrifying, yes, but nothing compared with these monsters.

"Listen, just walk towards me, _slowly_, don't let them touch you..." The Doctor beckoned the woman to cross the courtyard where they safely stood, trying to lead her away from the mechanical men that flanked her. Calypso shook her head desperately; there was an uneasy feeling in her gut as she watched the woman. She stood so _proudly_ next to them, as though they were her _pets_.

"Who _are _you?" Calypso asked in a horrified voice.

"You can be quiet," The woman snapped, her hard eyes directed at Calypso. "I doubt he paid _you_ to talk." Calypso felt her blood seethe as the woman's eyes returned to the Doctor, that twisted smile forming on her lips again. "My name is Miss Hartigan. But more importantly, who are _you_, sir?"

"I'm the Doctor." He said grimly, realizing that she had no interest in stepping away from the cybermen. If anything, they looked to be her guard, ready to serve. Calypso shuddered at the thought. As angry as she was with the woman, she wasn't foolish enough _not_ to be frightened.

"Incorrect." One of the cybermen spoke in a hollow voice. "You do not correspond to our image of the Doctor."

"Yeah." The Doctor shrugged and pulled the info stamp from his pocket. "That's because your database is corrupted. Look, check this." He tossed it to the cyberman who snatched it out of the air easily. "Go on, download it."

"What are you doing?" Calypso hissed over his shoulder. If the Doctor was such an enemy of the cybermen, she didn't see the wisdom in admitting who they were. And if they delayed here much longer, it was unlikely that they were going to be able to find the children at all.

"Improvising." The Doctor flashed her a quick grin. Calypso was not reassured in the least.

"The core has been damaged. This info stamp would damage Cyber units." The beast said in its mechanical tone.

"Oh well." The Doctor said with a shrug. "Nice try." Calypso shook her head, exasperated.

"Core repaired. Download." The info stamp was plugged into the cyberman's chest and its eyes flashed as the information loaded into its database. Calypso looked nearby for anything that could be used as a weapon. She wasn't sure what could take down a metal man, but perhaps there was something that could slow it down just long enough for them to run. But what then? What could they do if they were spreading through London? There would be no safe place for any of them. "You are the Doctor." It said as a stated fact.

"Hello!" The Doctor said with an unsettling kind of cheerfulness.

"You will be deleted." The cyberman said with equal matter-of-factness.

"Oh, thought you might say that. Just tell me one thing," He held out his hands defensively as the cybermen started to approach, Calypso felt rooted to the spot. Whatever memories she had lost wouldn't matter if she died here at the hands of these mechanical creatures. "What do you need the children for?"

"What are children ever for?" Miss Hartigan spoke again, cruelly. "They're a _workforce_."

"But for what?" The Doctor insisted on an answer, Calypso was starting to think that the woman was just mad.

"Oh, you'll see. Very soon now, the whole Empire will see. And they _will_ bow down. In worship." Her smiled had widened to a grin now and Calypso was tugging on the Doctor's arm, urging him to run. "Now," Miss Hartigan said, turning to the cybermen. "Delete them!" She ordered. They lurched forward on their heavy limbs, arms outstretched to grab at them.

"Can we run now?" Calypso insisted, pulling the Doctor's arm further. He started to follow but suddenly the cybermen started to sizzle and spark. Their heads both shone brightly for a moment before they exploded in a shower of light. The electricity faded and they realized it had come from the alley behind Miss Hartigan. Jackson Lake stood there, a smoking info stamp in his hands and a cutlass at his hip; wearing the same swaggering grin Calypso was used to seeing on his face.

"At your service, Doctor." He saluted, tossing the useless info stamp to the side. He had several more strapped across his chest, ready for action.

"Nicely done!" The Doctor laughed.

"Shades! Shades!" Miss Hartigan finally screamed, her face twisted in an ugly way as she was filled with rage.

"Run! Come on!" The Doctor took Calypso's hand and they were running to follow Jackson where he had retreated into the winding alleys.

"One more thing." Calypso dragged her hand from the Doctor's to stop in front of the woman who glared at them so balefully. The Shades were coming, she could see them dropping down from the rooftops above. She was afraid, but she was tired of being afraid. So instead, she latched on to what she could control. Her anger. She made a fist and swung as hard as she could, dropping Miss Hartigan with one blow. Her hand _hurt,_ but that was alright, she felt as though a weight had been lifted. At least briefly.

"Oh, can I say," The Doctor scowled as he grabbed her hand again, tugging her forward as the shades fast approached. "I _completely_ disapprove! Come on!"

"I thought you might," Calypso said with a grin, though she did notice a reluctant smirk cross the Doctor's face as they both raced down the streets.

* * *

><p>"Turn left at the corner!" Calypso encouraged the children who were the first to follow. They all seemed to understand that they were running for their lives. "And keep running! Fast as you can!" The ground had started to rumble, and despite all of the children who were coming up from below, she had yet to catch sight of the Doctor or Jackson. She wanted to keep running, running away from the madness of the cybermen, but she knew every step was one further away from the Doctor.<p>

Jackson had been right when he had said the Doctor needed someone, someone to keep him out of the worst of the trouble, or someone to pull him back from the brink. She worried now that she had left him, just when he needed her_ most._

"Go to St. Stephen's!" She ordered as the children continued to pour out of the old warehouse. Their numbers started to dwindle. "Ask for the warden, he'll take care of you!" That was finally the last of them to emerge, and she watched them disappear around the corner, safely away from whatever kind of factory Miss Hartigan had them working in. But there was no sign of the Doctor. Or of Jackson. She shook her head, taking a deep breath, ready to plunge back into the madness. But the ground beneath her feet rumbled violently, shaking so badly that she was forced to her knees. The initial jolt subsided but the ground still swayed, and she could hear something, the water rushing up from the Thames behind her.

She struggled up to her feet again and ran to the edge of the bridge, searching the darkness of the river. Something was rising, something _large. _It hissed and groaned as it rose from the water, it was a _monster._ It was a _giant_ cyberman. Even when she thought it was impossible for it to grow any larger, it continued to ascend into the skyline, water cascaded down, splashing around her like a sudden storm cloud. It glowed with an internal flame, illuminating the woman in red from the chest of the beast. Miss Hartigan.

"Behold! I am risen! Witness me, mankind, as Cyberking of all!" Her voice echoed across the canal and the city, speaking through the creature itself.

"I should have hit her harder." Calypso whispered as she stepped back from the stone railing, away from the river. She had no idea how the Doctor would defeat this thing.

_The Doctor._

She spun around, racing back toward the door where she had last seen the children retreating. Instead, she found Jackson holding a small boy in his arms; he looked up at the sky, just as horrified as she was at the monstrosity.

"Rosita!" He exclaimed as he saw her, a rare smile in his eyes. "My son, this is my son!" He said excitedly, briefly forgetting the danger they were all in. "They took him from me. But he is alive, so alive!" He hugged the boy tight to his chest with his eyes closed. Calypso was at a loss for words, they had taken his son? No wonder he had run away from his memories, a lost wife, a lost son. That was enough to drive anyone mad.

"That's wonderful." She said finally, forcing a smile on her face. Were there memories of her own waiting for her? Or was it already too late? "Where is the Doctor?" She asked him, pleading with her eyes.

"I…I don't know." Jackson shook his head, looking properly worried again. "He-" He stopped as Jen came running up to them with a crowd of people rushing past, all screaming and fleeing from the creature. "Jen!" He reached out to stop her. "Have you seen the Doctor?" She looked startled until she recognized them both.

"Oh, yes." She nodded quickly. "He's going up in the TARDIS. He's a bit mad." She said with a frown.

"The courtyard!" Jackson started to make his way through the crowd, back to where the balloon had been last.

"No." Calypso grabbed his shoulder, halting his progress. "You have your son." She urged him. "You have a reason to live."

"And you haven't?" He frowned, truly looking at her for the first time since they had met.

"I do." She said, swallowing. "And one of them is about to go up in a balloon and get himself killed." Jackson looked as though he would ask what she meant, but then he understood.

"I am sorry." He said carefully. "I didn't know…" Of course he hadn't, there was no way he could have.

"Go!" She shouted, tearing out of his grip and running into the crowd, desperate to reach the Doctor in time.

It didn't take her long to reach the courtyard; the crowd had thinned considerably, everyone so frantic to get away from the creature that was taking its first slow steps toward the city. She heard an explosion somewhere behind her as the cyberking displayed its raw power, she didn't dare look back. She knew if she did, she might not be able to continue, too afraid to do anything but find some place to hide. She caught herself as the ground rumbled intensely once more just as she reached the courtyard, she could see the balloon rising now, nearly all of the ropes tossed to the side.

"Doctor!" She shouted, running to stop him. He looked up, startled to see her as he was busy dropping sandbags.

"Calypso! Get to Jackson, get as far from the river as you can!" He shouted, lifting some kind of equipment up into the basket that was now bobbing up and down, ready to lift off.

"Where are you going?" She asked, a little out of breath.

"I've got to stop her." He answered, holding her gaze firm.

"Then I'm coming with you." She said just as stubbornly.

"No, Calypso. You can't." He stopped his progress and held her shoulders, "It's not safe for you."

"And what about you?" She asked angrily.

"That doesn't matter-"

"It matters to me!" She shrugged out of his grip, furious with the man. She had spent the better part of the week afraid that she had lost her Doctor for good, and now he was going to do it to her all over again.

"Calypso." He said more gently. "I need to know _you're_ safe. I'll be fine." He pulled what she thought was his necklace out of his pocket, but she realized it was something else dangling on a string. It was a key and he stuffed it into her hand, clasping his cool fingers around her fist. "Go to the TARDIS. Wait for me there." He started to turn back toward the balloon.

"Absolutely not." She said, following him, determined to make him see reason. He looked back over his shoulder and sighed, running his hand through his short brown hair. He shook his head, muttering.

"Oh, _alright_." He said, sounding rather disgusted. "Grab that rope there; we'll need it to hook the cyberking." Satisfied she had won, Calypso turned to grab the rope from the corner of the courtyard, but as she started back, she saw the Doctor loosening the last rope and with a running jump, swinging his legs into the basket as it rose from the ground.

"Don't you _dare_!" She shouted as she dropped the rope, sprinting for the balloon. But it was too late.

"I'm sorry Calypso. Truly. I am. Wait for me in the TARDIS. I promise to come back." He shouted down to her as he raised higher up into the sky. She watched it go, a heavy lump sitting in her stomach. "I promise." And then he was gone.


	18. London Part 4

**A/N: Alright, so this one is a little..weird. Possibly confusing. Please let me know which! And how to you know, make it less so, next time. That I have a big info dumpy chapter...Thanks for reading my lovelies!**

* * *

><p><strong>-1851-<strong>

**-London-**

* * *

><p>Calypso found the box easily enough, sitting safely tucked under an awning. Somehow she felt as though the key were leading her there, pulling her along. That was for the best, because she couldn't quite bear to look back, didn't want to see the tiny blue balloon facing up against the Cyberking in the sky.<p>

_He promised_. She told herself over and over again. He _had_ to come back. But she didn't want to watch if he was wrong, if he had lied. She didn't want to have to see that.

The cheers rose from the crowd as her hand pressed against the wooden door. She closed her eyes and just breathed, grateful. She could wait outside, it felt strange to enter the TARDIS without him. She was still so unfamiliar with it. The strange ship that was so much bigger on the inside. But something was calling her in, just as it had before. Convincing her to push the key into the lock and turn it. As the door opened she felt that odd tingling from the first time she had ever seen the inside. It was _eerie_, the way it seemed to welcome her in. She wondered if that was just how it always was, perhaps that was a feature of the machine. But it didn't seem like it, it seemed like it recognized _her_.

Calypso's eyes were drawn to the center of the room again, as if she doubted that would be the case. It glowed a gentle green, surrounded by the glass tube. Still, it called to her. It _knew_ her. She wanted to understand that, now more than ever. That pulsing core teemed with life, beckoning her forward. She didn't stop at the chair where she could have rested her weary legs, but continued past it. Letting it pull her forward. Perhaps the key hadn't had anything to do with it. Maybe the TARDIS had been speaking to her and her alone. She wasn't afraid of it this time, reaching her hand out to the beating heart of the ship, she pressed her fingers against the cool glass.

Just as before it surged through her violently, scalding the blood in her veins. But she held on, refusing to quit, fighting the power that spilled over her.

_Sister_. It spoke like a voice in her head and she gasped in a lungful of air at the shock. _Hello._ It greeted her warmly, like a summer breeze. It spread across her arms and through her body, soothing the shock that had come before. Now it was no more than a pleasant buzz across her skin.

"Hello." She whispered back, opening her eyes, almost laughing. It felt _amazing_. It felt like a piece had been missing and now it was returned. _I'm sorry_. The machine's voice sounded sorrowful in her mind. _Now comes the hard part._ It was filled with pity and she felt herself tremble.

But there was no pain to follow. Only darkness. She hadn't remembered closing her eyes, but that could be the only explanation. She was drifting now, like a ghost. The ship was gone, and so was her body. She was just a wraith in the breeze. She saw a light, and so she swam toward it, the black current was sluggish, but her movements were feeble. It took much of her strength to reach the light, but when she did, she saw it wasn't a light at all. It was a memory. She plunged into it, knowing instinctively it had something to do with her.

_A bearded man stood over a cradle, rocking it gently, grinning as something cooed from below. His brown eyes crinkled, he was happy, truly happy. This was a face from her dreams, she _knew_ this man. Round cheeks, warm eyes. Why could she not remember his name?_

"_See?" He spoke to someone beyond her view. "She is just as healthy as could be. I told you it was possible. She's a miracle." He chuckled._

"_Oh Roggir." It was a woman, her voice sighed as she stepped forward. Her long brown hair cascaded over her shoulders and down her back, flowing like a silky river. She was slender as a reed next to the sturdy looking man. She draped her hand over his shoulder and nestled her chin against him, she looked exhausted. "What shall we call her?"_

"_In my dreams, we named her Calypso." He smiled and placed a kiss on the woman's forehead. _

"_Calypso." She smiled up at him, suddenly beautiful despite her tired eyes. She knelt and tickled the baby's chin where it lay squirming. "It's beautiful."_

Calypso felt the tide pull her away as she lost her focus. It twirled her along in the void as she struggled to hold that memory. Her parents, _her_ family. They had been real. Another memory shone brightly in the darkness and she grasped at it, desperate for more.

"_Vortex freak!" A boy with bright blond hair was hoisting rocks at a girl who was ducking behind trees. _

"_Leave me alone!" She screamed at him, tears streaming down her face._

"_Why? You can't feel anything anyway! You're just a machine! You're a robot! Wait till the time lords come to take you away! Then they can take you to be a freak at the academy!" He hoisted another rock, this one striking her in the skull._

"_Shut up!" She screamed at him. She plugged her ears to block out the awful things he was saying. She was afraid of the time lords, they all were. Solemn lords and ladies in flowing red capes, coming to take her away from her family in their TARDIS just because they could._ "_SHUT UP!" She screamed again, and suddenly she vanished. Leaving the boy in startled silence._

She felt the old resentment building up, the tormenting she had received. She hadn't been like the others, she was different, _special,_ her father had said. She wasn't special. She was Frankenstein's monster. She didn't want to see any more, she wanted to look away, but it was no use, there was nowhere to look away to. They were coming faster now, fragments battling for her attention.

"_You have to control it, Calypso." Her father said encouragingly as he bounced a toddler on his lap. "Don't let it control you." It was her sister, Emily. Her father looked so happy, she wondered if she wasn't enough, if they weren't content with their strange child. Their failed experiment. _

"_I can't papa. I can't." Her lip wobbled but her father just chuckled as he set Emily down. _

"_Of course you can. You're my Calypso, you can do _anything_."_

Pieces of a life lived in the past, another world away. A world of red grass fields, and mountains. And the deepest blue ocean where the whales migrated every summer. Her heart ached for that place, and yet shards of it were so black she couldn't bear to see them.

"_Oh yes. I have heard of your little enterprise." The cold hard eyes of the time lord focused on her. He was a special visitor, one of the oldest of his kind. He resided in the Matrix, deep within the fabric of space itself. He had come just to see her, and what she could do. She didn't like him, but she didn't like any time lords, so perhaps that wasn't so strange. She was nearly a full-grown woman now, looking every bit her mother's daughter. She glared at the man across the table, refusing to yield to him._

"_She is not an 'enterprise'." Her father said gently, sitting at her side. "She is our daughter."_

"_Indeed. But I did not come to meet your daughter. I have come to avoid the destruction of our people."_

"_I have already told you, Rassilon. If this 'war' you speak of is coming, then it must come. We cannot change that any more than we can change the stars. You know that best of all." Her father had a hard look in his eyes, one that surprised her. Roggir was not an easy man to anger, and yet this time lord seemed to aggravate him._

"_It is time that you remember not all of your people have been granted such a privileged life. I would hate to see your family suffer the consequences of your stubbornness." The man's voice had a hint of darkness as he spoke._

"_You cannot threaten me. And you will not use my daughter." He was standing now. "You should leave."_

"_Very well." Rassilon stood, giving a sharp nod to her father before returning his gaze to her. "I doubt a woman of so few years would even be capable of such a feat."_

That had goaded her, just as he knew it would. The bastard. The black shards were not just her memories of home, but of herself. Of the things she had done, was capable of doing.

"_I want to see if I can help!" She was shouting, angry. Why couldn't he see that this was her chance? They would finally accept her if she did this. She could be a real part of the Engineers again. If only he would just _listen_. _

"That_ time cannot be rewritten!" He barked, another of the only times she had seen her father angry. _

"_Roggir, perhaps she could try?" Her mother was in the room, pressing her hand against him soothingly, but he shook his head. He wouldn't heed the words of his wife either, so strongly was he against the idea._

"_Absolutely not! I forbid it! He is a dark man, Calypso. His long years in the Matrix have made him troubled."_

"_He's trying to save Gallifrey!" She shouted. "More than you can say for yourself." They were cruel words, she knew that, even as she said them._

"_Those are powers I would not tamper with." His voice had a hard edge, she had hurt him, but still he wouldn't lash out at her. "You should not seek to change things that cannot be altered."_

"_You don't think I can." She said, tears forming, but she refused to let them fall. He thought she was a failure, just like everyone else._

Why was she so stupid? Why hadn't _she_ listened? She screamed in the darkness, but her voice was silent, soaking up her rage and sorrow into an endless void. There was no one but herself to cry out to.

"_I am glad you changed your mind. I need you to find a man. A scientist. He will change the history of the time lords. Davros is his name. Can you do it?" Rassilon sat in his chair, a small smirk on his lips. She had snuck away in the night, left a note._

"_Yes." She nodded her head firmly. She still hated this man, the threats he had made to her father. But she would save them, where he could not. And she would prove him, and everyone else, wrong. She would save the time lords, and her own people. _

They were even faster now, bombarding her, even as she tried to shield herself from them. Just pieces of memories that she had buried deep inside, like small knives pricking her skin over and over.

_Rassilon smiled as she opened her eyes again. "Excellent. There will be many uses for you." She saw that darkness in him, the darkness that her father had warned him about, and she ran_.

She couldn't escape his laughter, even in this other reality. She couldn't escape the memory of what she had done. She already knew, she didn't want to see it, but it forced its way in.

_They were burning, all of them burning. The village had been destroyed. Her father's broken form lay sprawled out in their garden, the blood that spilled from his mouth mixed with the red grasses beneath him. _

"_Papa, wake up." She whispered, her breath catching in her throat._

"_You will come with us." Rassilon stepped forward, flanked by a handful of men. Each wearing their red cape and wide gold headdresses proudly. "It is the command of the time lords." There was only cruelty in his voice, _he_ had done this. He had killed her family. But it had been _her_ fault._

"_No!" She screamed, pressing her hands against her head, wanting the tearing in her chest to stop. Wanting to die._

That feeling ripped into her heart again, making old wounds fresh once more. She gasped for air, this was killing her.

_She stood in front of the dark swirling vortex, the untempered schism. The time lords would not risk coming here, coming to their island. Not during the war. They were afraid. As they should be. But she got no joy from the thought of her people fighting, no satisfaction. Because she could feel it, sense that the tide was waning. They would lose. They would die. And they would have nothing to show for it. She couldn't stop it. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't go back and change it. She couldn't save them, any of them. They were _gone_._

_She looked into that unending tunnel of bleakness and saw a reflection of herself. Her heart was gone, burned to ash just as her family had been. Inside, there was only emptiness and pain. She opened her arms wide and leapt into the void, screaming as it tore away at her, shredding her body and the agony that consumed it._

She felt her awareness slam back into her body, the TARDIS was suddenly bright and alive around her. Her hand fell to her side and then she collapsed to the floor, sobbing as she fell.

_I am sorry, my sister._ The machine touched at her thoughts gently, but she ignored them. Her body shook and she wanted to scream, scream until it all came pouring out. She couldn't save them. They were _dead_. Her father, her mother. Emily. They had died, and she had been the cause. She had been too young, too willfully _stubborn_. She had _killed_ them. She had killed her people, and countless others. She had started a _war_.

"Calypso?" The Doctor's voice was sharp and startling real. He ran across the room and gathered her in his arms. "Are you hurt? What's happened?"

"I killed them." She sobbed, shaking her head. She couldn't bear to look at him. "I killed them and I'm not even _real_." That hurt even more, the realization that she wasn't a _person_. She was a machine that betrayed its creator.

"What?" The Doctor didn't understand, he pushed her hair out of her face and brushed her cheek soothingly. "What are you talking about?"

She couldn't speak for a long time, those images raced through her mind over and over, she had wanted a past, and she had gotten one. The Doctor just held her quietly, waiting for her to answer. She heaved in a deep breath when her sobs finally slowed, trying to calm herself. He deserved an explanation, even if it would push him away. He had to know. It was hard though, it hurt as like it had only just happened. In a sense, it had.

"I remember," She whispered, pushing away from him and instead letting the TARDIS console support her. She hummed against her back, lending her comfort. "I remember _everything_."

"Please," The Doctor pleaded with her, letting her keep her distance. "_Tell_ me. I can help."

"It was me. I started the war." She shook her head. "I started the war that killed my people, and my family. They're all dead because of _me_." She did finally look up at him, expecting to see hate in those brown eyes of his.

"Of course you didn't." He only scowled at her. He didn't believe her. "Don't be ridiculous."

"I did. Rassilon asked me to save a man. My father told me not to. I insisted. I should have listened. I should have-" She shook her head, feeling the tears begin again. "He wanted it covered up. So he burned my village. That's where the war started. It's my fault." She insisted. He could see it then, that sense of burden, his gaze softened as he moved to sit next to her against the console.

"It's not your fault." He said very seriously. "It wasn't your doing. Rassilon manipulated you because that's what he's _good_ at. He's also good at _destroying_. And that's nothing to do with you." She nodded, but he couldn't know. Didn't know how it tore at her.

"Who did you save?" He asked curiously when she had lapsed into silence.

"Davros." She shook her head. "I don't know of him." The Doctor's face had gone very still. "Do you?"

"What?" He shook his head, focusing on her again. "No. Doesn't ring a bell." He saw how serious she was and he drew a hand to her face. "I'm sorry Calypso, but you aren't to blame."

"There is more." She looked away from him miserably again. "I'm not even a _person_." She choked out. "I'm a _thing_. That's why it all started. They thought I could avert the great war. Rewrite time. I'm just a _machine_." She pressed her hands into her face, hiding. It hurt more to admit it aloud than she had thought. "I'm not _real."_

"Calypso." He gently pulled her hands down and took her face in his hands, looking deep into her eyes. "You are _very_ real. _Especially_ to me. I _need_ you to understand that." The sheer intensity of his eyes made her unable to doubt him, and though the burden in her heart didn't fade completely, it was lighter now as he held her.

"Come on," He said, a smile returning to his face. "Jackson's invited us for Christmas dinner." He slid his hands down to hers and squeezed tightly. "In memory of those we've lost." She realized then that she wasn't alone in her suffering. The Doctor too had lost his own people, to his own hand. Perhaps he understood more than she was giving him credit for. "Haven't lost you." He said softly.

"Yet." Calypso managed a rueful grin but regretted it almost immediately, the smile had faded from his face. He swallowed and looked away. "I'm sorry." She said quickly. "I didn't mean that."

"Well," He drawled the word, staring across the TARDIS. "Sure, but you're right. I'll lose you just like I've lost everyone else."

"Don't say that," She whispered, the ship suddenly felt much colder. She couldn't quite take the thought of losing him, not after remembering everything she had already lost. "Please."

He finally dragged his eyes away from the floor and looked at her again, seeming much older. "I want to tell you something." Something in his eyes made her heart beat faster, afraid of what it might be.

"How many-" She reached for her necklace but he stopped her.

"Don't." He shook his head with a smirk. "If I find out how young you are, I'll just…I'm a coward." He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a slow sigh. "And I don't know if this…I don't know if I'll get another chance to tell you."

"What do you mean?" She felt the blood drain from her face, this felt like a goodbye.

"Oh, when we last met the Ood. Said something, made me think…well. You know how the Ood are." She shook her head, confused, but he just chuckled. "Well, you will. Guess I spoiled that one." He shrugged. "Anyway. I don't know what will happen. If I regenerate, _when_ I regenerate. It won't be _me_ anymore. And I'm afraid-" He scratched his chin, casting his eyes all around the room. "God, I'm rubbish at this." He grinned. "I've just- I've lost a lot of people. People I care about. And I didn't get to-"

"You don't have to." She shook her head reassuringly, suddenly it seemed like it was too much. She didn't want to know, couldn't handle knowing.

"I know." He said, smiling genuinely and cupping her face in his hands once more. "But I _want_ to." He hesitated for a moment, but he didn't look away from her, "Calypso, I love you. I just wanted you to know that. Before I go." She opened her mouth to speak but he pressed his finger against her lips with a smile. "Don't say anything." Her stomach fluttered anxiously as he removed his hand and leaned forward. She didn't push away and he gently pressed his lips against hers. There was none of the intensity from before, but it was sweet and tender and she found herself returning it. She felt warmth spread through her that had nothing to do with the temperature. He pulled away slowly with a smile and grasped her hands, pulling her up from the floor.

"Come on then, victory dinner awaits."

"Doctor," She said, as he pulled her to the door. She couldn't just let him go without saying anything. And yet, she couldn't bring herself to say it. She didn't know if it was fear, or if she doubted her feelings. Was she capable of that? She certainly thought she was, but that was before she knew _what_ she was. She was only a _machine_, the time vortex stuffed into human form. Maybe it only mattered that she was real to him, but what if he was wrong? What if she destroyed him just like she had so many others. She couldn't risk that, hurting her Doctor, not yet. He turned back to her, that smile still lingering on his face. "Merry Christmas." She said finally.

"Merry Christmas, Calypso." He said with a grin as he pushed open the door.


	19. The Clementine

**A/N: This is for Ainmell Snape :P And all you other lovelies of course.**

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><p><strong>-1852-<strong>

**- The Clementine -**

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><p>Another of the crew had fallen ill, this time it was Grey, the first mate of the ship. That made four since they had left port. Even more if Calypso counted the passengers. Almost a dozen sick in the three weeks that they had been at sea. The Captain's son, William, among them. There didn't seem to be any explanation, or any connection between them.<p>

If there was something wrong with the food or water, why weren't they all ailing? And why were they getting sick at different intervals? Calypso knew very little of medicine, but she knew she had never seen anything remotely similar to this infection. It was almost like a rash, but instead of any natural color, it was a sickly green, the slender tendrils growing like veins in a spreading pattern over the skin. It was followed by a powerful hallucinations and a fever. What had bothered Calypso the most, was the skin closest to the original rash would start to harden. When she had been cleaning out the wounds of the passengers, she could have sworn it looked like there were fish scales. But that was ridiculous. Surely, there was nothing that could cause a person to grow _scales._

They had blocked off part of the steerage to keep the passengers separated from the rest who weren't ill. The crew had their own quarters, and were less likely to cause a panic. She spent most of her time split between the two groups of infected, no one was overly eager to keep an eye on the sick, since they were still unsure of how it spread. But Calypso felt pretty confident that whatever it was, she couldn't catch it. After all, she had avoided the Black Death. While she looked human, or Gallifreyan, she doubted she shared enough biology to ever fall ill.

She was on her way to the top deck, a glass jar in her hands. She had just finished visiting with William, it was lonely to be the only sick child, and without a mother as well. The Captain had little time for him, though it didn't seem to be from lack of concern. He was doing his best to keep the ship running, and the crew still diligent in their work with the disease slowly spreading. He was relatively young, the Captain. She guessed he was in his forties, but it was not the best maiden voyage to be having across the Atlantic. He was normally in charge of a fishing vessel, which was why they were headed to the Caribbean, to start work down there. But work meant supplies were needed, and so he had found himself now captaining a large boat, along with fifty odd passengers, and a mostly unfamiliar crew.

She met him at the bottom of the stairs as they were both ascending to the deck. He caught sight of the jar in her hand and frowned.

"Afternoon, sir." She nodded as they climbed the wide stairs, leading to the rear of the ship.

"Afternoon." He greeted, his eyes flickering on the jar once more. "How is he?" Though he didn't spend much time with the boy, he knew of the jar. It was little more than a comforting thought, bringing fresh air down from the deck for William, since by now he was too sick to make the trip himself.

"As well as can be expected." She admitted. There was no point in lying to him. None of the others seemed to be improving, their fevers coming and going but the main infection never reducing. He knew the truth of that just as well as she did. "The nightmares were troubling him again." She twisted the lid off the jar. While it didn't _actually_ do anything, the smell of the sea did seem to sooth William when the dreams became too much.

"As it does with the others." The Captain nodded grimly, staring out into the open waters. "Perhaps I shall take the evening meal with him in my chambers." He suggested.

"I think he would like that very much." Calypso smiled, it would do them both some good. "And, how is Officer Grey?" She inquired, she knew it must have been a blow to lose one of his most trusted men to the sickness. He was saved the trouble of answering by an interruption from the edge of the deck.

"Funny," Drolled a familiar voice. "I could have _sworn_ the beach was supposed to have _sand_. You know, rather important part. Seeing as it's the _beach_." Donna was wearing a bright peach shirt and an unseemly pair of trousers that didn't even reach her knees. She didn't look like she had dressed for a trip aboard the Clementine. Or in this century, for that matter.

"Donna!" The Doctor chided her, he was still wearing the dark pinstriped suit she was familiar with. Though his brown jacket was missing, so perhaps he had anticipated a warm sunny beach as well. "You're missing the _incredible_ view we've got here! Besides, you don't want _sand_. Sand is rubbish. It's all grainy, and dry, and then there's all…bits of _stuff_ in it. Plus," He nodded knowingly. "It gets _everywhere_." They were both standing side by side at the stern of the ship, and the Captain had spotted them.

Calypso thought, a little belatedly, that she should have tried to distract him. But it was difficult to do when she was just as surprised to see them. Although their sudden appearance on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic was probably _more _of a surprise to him, since she at least knew it was _possible_.

"Ugh," Donna muttered. "Do I _not _want to hear about _your_ personal life. But really, _incredible_ view? I just see a lot of gray and blue. And a pirate ship. Are you joking me right now?" Her hands were on her hips, glaring at the Doctor.

"Pirates? Honestly Donna, give me more credit than _that_. If _this_ is a pirate ship, then I'm Davy Jones."

"Excuse me." The Captain had approached them both silently, pulling his pistol from his hip holster. "Might I ask what you two are doing on _my_ ship?"

They both turned slowly at the same time, each raising their hands above their heads as they realized that it was a weapon he was aiming at them.

"Well, call me Davy." The Doctor said with a half frown.

"Oh look." Donna said with a huff. "A _pirate_. With a _gun_."

"Don't be silly," The Doctor scowled. "He can't be a _pirate_. He hasn't got one of those…hats." He made a swirling motion over his head with his hand but stopped as he saw Calypso over the Captain's shoulder. "Oh, hello!" He said with a grin. He thought better of it as the Captain gave him a curious look, and then did the same for Calypso. "Sorry, I'm the Doctor. And this is Donna."

"Hello." Donna gave a small wave and plastered a smile on her face, it looked almost like a grimace.

"We're…researchers. Of, science…_things_. I've got papers." He finished confidently and moved his hand slowly to his jacket, waiting for the Captain's sharp nod before pulling out the small wallet. He flipped it open and Calypso recognized the psychic paper, although, she didn't quite _recognize_ it. She had just remembered the explanation he had once given her, but the paper looked to be several degrees from Oxford, and even a personal recommendation from the Queen herself. She shook her head, although, knowing the Doctor, she wondered if it was entirely out of the realm of possibility. Calypso just hoped it would work, the Captain was no fool, and he was certainly not a fan of stowaways.

"And you said you are a Doctor?" He asked shrewdly as he returned the wallet.

"Yes, well. Not _exactly_ medical." The Doctor shrugged.

"And why have I not seen either of you? Three weeks is a long time to avoid notice."

"Er…well," The Doctor clearly hadn't planned his excuses ahead of time. "Donna here, she's been _quite_ ill." He said, stuffing the psychic paper back into his jacket. Donna frowned at him but kept her mouth shut. "She's just been…oh, _terrible_. Got the…" He looked to her for inspiration, but found none. "The whooping damp cough…lung." He recognized that the lie could have been a little better formed.

"I've seen them on occasion, sir." Calypso offered, before the Captain could think to ask what _exactly_ the Doctor meant. "They've kept below decks mostly." The Captain gave her a meaningful look over his shoulder.

"Your wife does not _look _very ill." He said, finally holstering his weapon.

"Oh, no." Donna wagged her fingers in the air. "No, we're not together."

"Not wife." The Doctor agreed just as quickly. "Just an associate. She's real interested in this whole…science business. She _was _ill." He said, getting back to the point. "But what, with all the fresh air, sunshine. Lemons. She's much better now."

"She has not had fever? Or gangrene?" The Captain took a moment to eye her carefully, perhaps wondering if these two had been the source of their troubles all along.

"Oi!" Donna said, looking rather offended. "I had a cough is all. What's _gangrene_ got to do with a _cough_?"

"Yes, _alright_ Donna." The Doctor said placating her.

"There has been illness on the ship." The Captain said somberly. "I thought perhaps if you had recovered…" His voice trailed off. Calypso knew what he had hoped, that it was a sign that the rest of them would also get better. Including his son. "If you'll excuse me." The Captain didn't seem interested in continuing to discuss it further with the strangers.

"Here," Calypso held out the glass jar for him. Hoping he would remember to visit with William. He accepted it with a sad smile.

"Thank you." He nodded to each of them before disappearing back toward the bow of the ship.

"_Gangrene_." Donna said murderously. "Do I _look_ like I've got bloody _gangrene_?"

"No." The Doctor shook his head sympathetically. "You look the picture of health. Moving on. Calypso!" His attention turned back to where she was standing, still a little bewildered by their appearance. "It's lovely to see you! Fancy meeting you on this…pirate ship." He pulled her in for a hug, which she returned reluctantly. He didn't know yet, know what she was and what she had done. How could she act like as though everything were normal?

"It's not _quite_ a pirate ship." She forced herself to smile, and hugged Donna as well, who seemed to have recovered from the gangrene accusations. "We're headed for the Caribbean islands, most of the crew are fishermen."

"Ah, lovely! See Donna? The Caribbean. Told you I'd find you a beach." The Doctor said cheerfully.

"Yeah. On a boat filled with _sick_ people. _Thank you _Doctor. You're just the _best_." Donna muttered.

"Don't be silly," He waved his hand at her dismissively. "Calypso's here, didn't you want to see Calypso?" He said with a grin.

"Yes yes. It's always nice to be the third wheel with you two." She grumbled, but she winked at Calypso playfully. She felt her smile falter a little, but did her best to ignore it. Donna didn't know either. How could she keep lying to them?

"What kind of sickness is it?" The Doctor ignored her quip easily. "This Captain of yours seems traveled enough not to be bothered by scurvy."

"It's not something I've seen before." Calypso admitted. "It starts with an infection. The gangrene. Then hallucinations, an inconsistent fever. Nothing we do seems to help." She looked at them both honestly. "It might be best if you…left."

"Nonsense." He grinned in his cocky way. "I'm the Doctor."

"Not because you've got a degree for it or anything!" Donna reminded him. "I'm going below to get a sweater, this deck is bloody _cold_."

"I've got degrees!" He said indignantly. "They just…don't happen to be in _medicine_." He shrugged as Donna disappeared. "Don't fall on anything sharp or pointy!" He called after her. "Besides," He said, his eyes grinning at Calypso. "I'm not going to just pop off on you again." Her hopes of the disease chasing him away so that she wouldn't have to worry about how to act were dashed. Although, there was a part of her that didn't really _want _him to go. A part that remembered what he had said on the TARDIS, Christmas day. But that part was also frightened by it. "Sorry about Italy." He said sheepishly, dragging his hand across his neck. "Not really sure why the TARDIS affected you that way."

She swallowed, trying to disguise her nerves. Would he be able to figure it out if she told him what she _really_ was? "It's fine." She said. She didn't really know _why_ it made her jump, so it wasn't _too_ difficult to keep quiet about it.

"So…" He said casually, but there was an interested glint in his brown eyes when she looked at him. "How many has this been for you?"

"Nine." She answered quickly. She had only just remembered Italy, and how…_familiar_ he had been on that trip. With all of those thoughts running around in her mind, she wasn't quite sure she could handle that added burden.

"Ah, still behind then." He said a little ruefully. "I'm up to fourteen." He raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Don't suppose we're more…friendly, yet?"

She had to laugh at his attempted subtlety. "I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." She shook her head. She could almost forget her worries and her doubts, _almost_.

"Best not, then." He said with a smile, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I'll just have to practice being patient." He said the word like it tasted foul in his mouth, but he winked at her. "Come on then, why don't you show me all the…ship-y stuff. I'm sure it's brilliant."

Before Calypso could admit that she knew very little of the ship itself, they were interrupted by a sharp startled scream. One that sounded very much like Donna.

"I _said_ nothing sharp." The Doctor muttered, exasperated.

"_Doctor!_" Donna's voice could be heard clearly, coming from below decks.

"Never a dull moment." The Doctor said with a grin, reaching out to take her hand. But Calypso was already running down the ladder, afraid that she knew exactly what had caused Donna to scream. Everyone who had fallen ill had screamed like that.


	20. The Clementine Part 2

**- 1852 -**

**- The Clementine -**

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><p>"Donna?" The Doctor's face turned serious as he spotted Calypso crouched down next to Donna, who had sagged against the wall of the TARDIS. A small black jacket was clutched in her grasp, suggesting she had made it inside before the illness had struck her down. Her other hand was at her throat, and her mouth hung open in shock. "What's happened?" His screwdriver was out and he scanned for her vitals.<p>

"I was bloody _attacked_." Donna said, but it was lacking her usual fire. "By a little green _goblin_. Where's he off to?" She looked around at the dark corners of the ship unsuccessfully. The Doctor raised his eyebrow and looked to Calypso.

"It's the same for all of them. Hallucinations about monsters." Calypso explained, she hadn't expected it would be so _soon_. And she was afraid of what it might mean that it could move _so_ quickly. "They dream about them too."

"Hallucinations? Already? That's a bit quick." The Doctor frowned and turned his attention back to Donna, where she was still stubbornly gripping her neck. When he started to pull her arm down, she glared at him. "Donna, just move it for a moment." He said patiently, she considered ignoring him, but finally conceded, still pulling a face at him as she did so. Calypso hissed in her breath sharply, it was the same green mark as the others.

"Hang on…" The Doctor said, uncertainty in his voice. "That's…_weird_."

"Oh. _Thanks_." Donna muttered, slapping her hand back over the wound. "I feel real bloody _reassured_ now!"

"And you said this is just like the others? There are more people on the ship with marks like this?" His attention was on Calypso now, he was no longer the silly Doctor, he was serious, and intent on an answer.

"Yes," She nodded, feeling the full weight of his focus. She was feeling just as frightened by Donna's condition as she was about the Doctor's uncertainty on the matter. "Almost a dozen have the same…green pattern." She was hesitant to call it gangrene since she knew it would only upset Donna further. Besides, it was like no rot she had seen before, if it stumped the Doctor, she doubted it was a simple case of infection.

The Captain appeared then, his attention also drawn by Donna's screams, knowing exactly what they meant. He surveyed the scene quickly before speaking, but his eyes sought out Calypso for answer.

"Again?" He asked. She only gave a short nod in confirmation; he knew it as well as she did. He looked decidedly more grim as he noted that Donna was the victim.

"Is no one going to find the cheeky little git that got me?" Donna was glaring up at both the Doctor and the Captain, since he was now available.

"And the hallucinations as well." The Captain said with a defeated sigh.

"Oi!" Donna sat up straighter, despite the Doctor's efforts to keep her reclined. "I'm _not_ hallucinating! I _saw_ a little…_green_ thing. With…a crown." Her words grew more doubtful as she realized exactly how it sounded. "Well, not a _crown_. But scales. A big hard head." She smacked the Doctor with her jacket. "Don't you look at me like that. I _saw_ it."

"We've searched this ship high and low. There is no such creature." The Captain said determinedly. The first few to fall ill _had_ enticed the crew to search for the monster that the sick claimed plagued them. But none had been found. After, when they continued to speak of the monster, they suspected it was just the paranoia of the high fevers, fueling them to reiterate what they had already heard. Calypso had thought it was just the superstitious, blaming a phantom for the illness that struck them down. But she doubted that was the case with Donna. After all, she hadn't known _what_ the others had seen, and she had only just arrived. How could she possibly be sick? What frightened her most was that Calypso thought she _believed_ her.

"Why don't you show me the others." The Doctor interrupted before Donna could give the Captain a piece of her mind about how well she thought they had conducted their searches. "Donna, why don't you stay-"

"Not bloody likely." Donna said as she pushed his hands aside, using the side of the TARDIS and Calypso to help her stand. "I'm _fine_."

"Really though," He looked at her reproachfully. "I think you should take it easy. Calypso and I can find out what's going on if you just _rest_."

"Yeah," She said as she put her jacket on. "_Nice_ try, spaceman." The Doctor looked as though he wanted to argue, but Calypso didn't think that was going to do any of them any good.

"It doesn't progress too badly on the first day." She offered, she knew rest would probably be better for Donna. But if she was being honest, she wasn't entirely sure she was ready to be left on her own with the Doctor just yet. "She should be okay, if we keep an eye on her."

"Alright," He said, after he gave Calypso a long look. "But if you start feeling _anything_, anything at all," His finger was pointed sternly at Donna. "You let me _know_. Got that?"

"Sure thing, _dad_." She glowered at him, but her answer seemed to satisfy the Doctor enough that he nodded to Calypso.

"Lead the way then."

"They've been blocked off in steerage, to keep them separate from the other passengers." She started to lead them back up the ladder, away from the damp storage in the lowest levels.

"And who did you say you were, again?" The Captain was following them closely, and had given more than one strange look back at the blue box that had appeared where he was fairly certain it had _not_ been when they left port.

"I'm the Doctor." He shrugged it off as though that were all the explanation that was needed. The Captain waited, hoping there might be more, but when the Doctor offered nothing else, he just shook his head. The Doctor exuded the kind of authority that suggested sometimes there wouldn't _be_ a satisfactory answer, and you would just have to accept that. The Captain seemed to recognize this fact. Or at the very least, he was prepared to wait until he found out what else the Doctor had learned about the disease. Those they came across did not question them, though they did gather a few odd stares, the Captain rarely made his way through the bunks that made up the passengers beds and homes for the months they would be at sea. As they finally reached the far end of the ship, where a heavy curtain was drawn across the ceiling, the mood changed drastically. Where the rest had been occupied with tasks, cleaning the floors, mending old clothing, those who lay beyond the thick tarp were the opposite.

The smell of staleness and sick washed over them as Calypso pushed back the fabric, bracing herself for the unpleasantness. These people were very clearly _ill_, the worst of them trembling with fevers that rose and fell without warning, sometimes unconscious for days at a time, only able to sip at water when it was forced into them. Donna's hand flew to her mouth, whether from the stench or the shock of seeing what she had to look forward to, Calypso wasn't sure.

"Oh these poor souls." She shook her head sadly as she wandered down the middle of the aisle.

"Right then." The Doctor said grimly. "Let's see what we have here." He stopped at each of the bunks, scanning with his sonic screwdriver and inspecting the source of the wound. Calypso made herself useful by replacing the damp cloths that helped to cool those that were radiating heat.

"Have you been treating them this whole time?" Donna asked her as she came by, Calypso gave a short nod. For fear of exposure, they had limited those who could come and go, hoping to reduce the chances of it catching. "But it's a _sickness_." Donna said, a little disbelievingly. "What if _you_ had gotten ill?" Calypso realized that Donna was looking at her like she was worried, like she was _afraid_ for her.

She shook her head. "That wouldn't happen." She said with certainty.

"Why, because you're from…_Gallifrey_?" She whispered the last word, sure to avoid the ears of the Captain. The Doctor did, however, notice, and gave them both a sharp look before returning to his work.

"Sort of." Calypso mustered a smile, but she felt a lump forming in her throat. It was because she wasn't _real_. That was always what plagued her. And she hated herself even more, looking into Donna's eyes and knowing that she didn't dare explain it. Couldn't bear the thought of how Donna would look at her once she knew the truth. "It's complicated."

"It usually is." Donna said wryly. "Still though, it's a bit upsetting to think this is what's going to happen." Donna swallowed once, looking at the man nearby who shook and whimpered in his sleep, fighting off his nightmare attackers.

"Of course not." Calypso grabbed Donna's hand reassuringly. "These people have been sick for a _long_ time. Besides, the Doctor is here. He'll fix you. That's what he does, right?" Donna snorted, but she was somewhat mollified. Or perhaps she just didn't want to face the reality of what would happen if he _couldn't_ help her. Neither did Calypso.

"These." The Doctor said finally as he stood up. "Are _not_ infections. Or at least, that's not how they _start_." The Captain turned a sharp eye to the Doctor, waiting for him to explain. "These people have all been _bitten_. These are bite marks. Single set of fangs. Small spread."

"So there _is_ something on the ship?" The Captain asked doubtfully.

"Glad to see you're keeping up." The Doctor nodded in his direction once before returning to his own thoughts. "And it's not hallucinations, they're memories. Flashbacks. All of a monster. A _green_ monster. Who do I know that's green with fangs?" He asked, tapping his chin thoughtfully. Before any of them could ask another question, the ship listed sharply to the side, sending them all stumbling against the bunks. Calypso caught herself against the wall and grabbed for Donna's arm just in time to keep her from tumbling to the ground.

"Captain." The Doctor said warningly, he had stabilized himself without much effort, as though he were used to the floor rocking in an unexpected way. "I recall the sea being quite _calm_ when we were up top, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes," He agreed, his face a mask of concern. "It _was_."

"Well, I guess we should go take a quick look then, yeah?" The Doctor nodded back the way they had come. "Come on then, Donna, Calypso. Allons-y." He grinned lightly, but Calypso couldn't quite find the energy to get excited. The last storm they had ridden through had been one of the more miserable points in her life. It had been in the first week before she had really gotten the hang of walking around on a tilting ship. The way the ship bounced and bobbed side to side had left her bedridden and very _very_ ill. It was nice to know she at least had _some_ normal qualities, such as seasickness. But it wasn't something she was looking forward to repeating.

The ship started to roll back and forth in a pattern now, making their way to the deck of the ship was an exercise in wobbling on unsteady feet until they could smell the fresh ocean air once again. When they did finally reach the last steps leading up, Calypso could tell there was something wrong. The skies above them, which had been a calm and unassuming gray before, were now blacker than coal. The heavy clouds swirled above them, rumbling angrily, but no rain fell. A sharp wind buffeted against her as she emerged onto the deck, and with the breeze she could hear the crew now shouting, barking out orders to secure the rigging and drop sail.

"What the devil is this madness?" The Captain scowled up at the sky, but wasted no time in rejoining his crew, adding his own orders to those of his men. The Doctor had wandered to the edge of the ship, looking over the water. She could hear something roaring from that side, as though a heavy rain were falling, but she could see no sign of the clouds opening up.

"I think maybe we should go back below." The Doctor's voice was alarming as she crossed the ship to follow his gaze, Donna closely behind. His hands were gripped so tightly against the railing all the blood had drained from them, leaving his skin a chalky white.

"What is it?" Donna asked, having to raise her voice to be heard. They took slower steps as they approached the Doctor, the violent tilting of the ship threatened to throw them to the ground, or worse, over the side completely. But they didn't have to reach the edge to see what so alarmed the Doctor, a particularly sharp dip in the boat made it easy to see. It was a giant swirling whirlpool. It was large enough that she couldn't quite breathe once she had seen it. The water churned and swirled in the center, vanishing deep below the gray waters. A lightning bolt tore from the sky and struck at the center, the thunderous boom that followed rattled through her body and made her ears ring. Then the ship righted itself again and it vanished from view, the dark clouds of the sky replacing it.

"Oh my god." Donna was gripping the Doctor's arm, the shock of the thing causing her to freeze. Calypso felt for the railing and had to hold herself upright for fear her legs would collapse under her. She couldn't speak, and she was still struggling to catch her breath. As the ship tilted again, she saw what was even more of a concern, they were already caught in it, they had spent so little time tilted toward the sky because they were already sinking, being sucked into the cyclone of water. She could hear the men behind her, shouting at each other, shouting at the gods, to anyone who would listen that would cause their sails to be strong enough to carry them away from the beast that was threatening to kill them all.

"That's not manmade!" The Doctor shouted as he scanned the center of the thing with his sonic, Donna busy trying to hold them both steady. "I can't tell _what_ it is!" He almost sounded excited, but she couldn't be sure, the wind and pounding of the waves was making it more difficult to understand.

"I don't care!" Donna shouted. "Let's get back to the flipping TARDIS!" Calypso had to agree, as they were slipping further into the vortex, she realized that she could no longer see the ocean spread out before them. Now there was only the sky, and the impossibly high wall of water that was pulling them deeper and deeper. Waves splashed over the side as the crew still fought to pull the ship up over the ridge.

"Yeah," The Doctor agreed as a rogue wave caught them all and they desperately clung to the railing. "Best ride this out down below!" They all stumbled forward, making for the lower decks that would at least protect them from the worst of the wind and water.

"Picked a _hell _of a vacation spot, spaceman." Donna sputtered as they dropped down below the worst of it. Still struggling to stand upright on their way down.

"I always do." He gave a lopsided grin, but he now seemed focused on getting them back to the TARDIS. Calypso's stomach lurched with the ship, and then finally fell back when the bow took a sharp turn downward, as though instead of fighting the current, they were driving down into it. They could hear the passengers screaming in steerage as Calypso had to resist the urge herself, her stomach was nearly in her throat as they were seemingly making a rocky plummet down to the center of the whirlpool.

"Come on!" The Doctor urged them, dropping down the next ladder just as quickly as he had the first, water had started to stream in from above, waves crashing up and over the deck with no resistance. Calypso was battered into the walls as she stumbled forward finding the ladder. Trying to climb down quickly, she knocked her head sharply against the wood beams that supported the ladder. Her vision spun for a moment when she felt hands gripping her tightly as her fingers slipped from the last rung. "Got you, I've got you." The Doctor's voice was nearby. She shook her head to clear her eyes and used the ladder to get her bearings.

"I'm alright." She reassured him, pushing his hands away. "Let's keep going." She nodded. They only had one more level to drop before they reached the bottom of the ship, before they reached the TARDIS. The water that had spilled down was now making their way more slippery, so instead of walking, they were all sliding their way to the last ladder. The ship creaked and groaned around them, threatening to break apart in the violence of the waves.

"We're not going to make it!" Donna was shouting frantically, scrabbling to keep herself upright.

"We might if you leg it!" The Doctor yelled back, offering a gentle push forward which earned him a dark look.

"If I _die_ at the bottom of the ocean, I'm gonna _kill_ you!" She threatened him. The ship lurched and then they both went sliding into the wall, collapsing to the ground as they went. Calypso dropped to her hands and knees, hoping that she'd have an easier time if she gave up on the idea of standing. With more water pouring in and dripping along the overhead, the lanterns were starting to extinguish themselves, casting them in a growing gloom. Calypso felt a deep fear start to rise like bile in her throat.

"Donna! Don't be so dramatic!" The Doctor chided her. Calypso could still see them both and she scuttled forward, not wanting to find herself in the dark alone. "If you're dead at the bottom of the ocean, so am I."

"Oh you'll _wish_ you were-" And then the whole ship rattled with a final dramatic BANG that jarred Calypso's teeth in her skull and dropped them completely flat against the floor. With a low groan the ship leveled itself once more, the sharp tilt finally evening and with a few gentle wobbles, they stopped moving. Calypso thought she had stunned herself when she realized that the rest of the lanterns had fallen dark and she just couldn't see. But that wasn't totally accurate, there was a strange green glow coming from above, but it was so faint it didn't illuminate anything, only make her more aware of the claustrophobic darkness that she was trapped in.

"Doctor?" She said cautiously.

"I'm here. Donna, you alright?" He pulled out the screwdriver once again and offered some light with it.

"_No_." She said sullenly, rubbing her chin.

"Well…" The Doctor looked up to try to see through the hatch above them. "I don't think we're _sinking_ anymore." The hall around them was now slightly more crooked than it had been, evidence that they had struck _something_.

"Well what the hell _happened_?" Donna asked, pulling herself to her feet.

"It feels like we _crashed_." Calypso said, despite knowing how silly it sounded. They _can't_ have crashed, there was _nothing_ to crash _into_. They were in the _middle_ of the ocean. But the fact remained, that they had clearly run adrift of _something_, and the ship was no longer rocking gently to the oceans waves.

"Yeah. It sure did." The Doctor offered her a hand up when he realized she was still crouching on the ground. She accepted it but immediately dropped her own as she got her bearings. He looked back briefly, but said nothing, much to her relief. "Let's go take a look then, shall we?"

"What? After we _just_ threw ourselves down here?" Donna looked rather annoyed at the idea.

"Yeah, yeah. Come on." He was already climbing back up, ignoring her glare. As they reached steerage they found themselves fighting swarms of passengers, also trying to escape the ship, or at least find what had happened. She quickly lost track of the Doctor, and then Donna as well, but they were all headed in the same direction, so she pushed on, needing to _see_ what had happened. She followed the group until they reached the main deck and let out a low breath. Her thoughts of crashing, or even where the Doctor was, were completely erased. Because above her head, she could see only one thing. The ocean.

She blinked, uncomprehending. People around her screamed and howled, but she banished their concerns. What was she seeing? She was breathing _air_, she knew that much because she had literally gasped when she had looked up into the wall of water above them. It was dark and green, and illuminated by some light that she couldn't see. But it only penetrated so deep before the dark murky waters swallowed it up and left her feeling completely buried. She could see no hint of sunlight down here, it was crushingly obvious they were nowhere near the surface. They _had_ sunk. But _where_ was the question she wondered now. She was jostled by a few panicked passengers, clutching at her and raving about the end of days. She pushed them away, shaking herself sternly. She certainly didn't _feel_ dead.

She had to see what else there was, and so she struggled her way through the people, gaining a position against the rails where she could see out further into this underwater bubble. It stretched out wider than she had seen the whirlpool, softly glowing globes dotted around the edges where air met water, and further out into the distance. The ship itself had run aground on dark rocks that jutted out from the sand at odd angles. It looked just like a beach she would have seen back in England, except they were nowhere near England, or shore. Some of the rocks were flatter than others, looking as though they had been smoothed that way. It was a pattern, a _path_. It led away from the ship and into the distance, if she squinted she thought she could see a shape somewhere out there, a _thing_. Though she couldn't identify what it was.

"Interesting, isn't it?" The Doctor suddenly appeared at her side, frowning at the same shape she was looking toward.

"What is it?" She asked, curious if she had struck her head harder than she thought.

"I have no idea." He shook his head wonderingly.

"Oi! You two! Having a laugh leaving me behind like that?" Donna popped up behind them, looking like she had needed to elbow several people on her way. "If you needed alone time, you could have just _asked_."

"Donna." The Doctor silenced her with a warning, and Donna saw Calypso's attention flash back to their surroundings, intentionally ignoring her jab.

"No need to fratch." Donna huffed, clearly not happy with either of them.

"Hang on," The Doctor pulled out his sonic and pointed it at the rocks below. "What's that…" Calypso saw it too, the stones that surrounded them were moving. Rocks shifted beneath her watchful eyes, but not all of them. And then she realized they weren't rocks at all. They were creatures, disguised to blend into the surrounding rocks with their gray mottled skin that was slick like wet stone. In their arms, they held horn shaped tools, but by the threatening way they held them, Calypso guessed they were _guns_.

"You will release the hostage, or your ship and all those aboard, will be dismantled." The one nearest to them spoke, its wide glassy eyes regarding them with disdain.

"Dismantle? Well that sounds _interesting_." The Doctor said with a frown. "Anyone know anything about a hostage?"


	21. The Clementine Part 3

**A/N: This is to my e-bestie Sarbrook! Get better sicky! :D  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>-1852-<strong>

**- The Clementine -**

* * *

><p>The ship shook underneath them again, violently. Calypso and Donna both were pressed tightly against the crates they had sought refuge behind. Splinters showered down on them from the badly battered mast, it groaned one more time before it came sailing down through the air, crashing into the deck. Several people screamed and shouted from where they had fortified themselves in the Captain's quarters. Most of the passengers had sought refuge there under direction by the Captain, while others, like the Doctor, had taken to barricading themselves on the deck. Calypso was starting to think that might not have been their most sound plan.<p>

"Well," The Doctor drawled as he ducked back behind them, dusting debris from his dark brown hair. "As far as first negotiations go, I thought that went rather _well_." He shrugged.

"You _would_." Donna scowled at him, plucking a rather long sliver of wood from her jacket. "Just what the _hell_ is a Silurian anyway? And what are they doing in the middle of the _flipping_ ocean?"

"Oh, they're not just in the _middle_." He explained. "And they've been here loads longer than _you_ lot." The Doctor said indignantly. They also looked to be excellent carpenters, because every time Calypso caught a glimpse of them, they were making more and more progress on the ramp that they had started to build.

"Yeah?" Donna shot a glare over their wall, glowering at those Silurian's she _could_ see from their mild protection. "Well they _look_ like _newts_." Another shot fired over their heads, smashing against one of the cabin walls. They didn't seem to be aiming directly at any of them, and it took several shots to destroy anything. The Doctor suspected they were just trying to frighten them so they wouldn't be able to stop them from building their ramp. Calypso had to admit that it seemed to be working.

"They don't look like _newts_!" He said, incensed. "They _look_ like _homo amphibious_."

"Oh, I didn't know there was a bleeding _difference_." They all ducked again when they heard the familiar hissing of the weapon being fired, the cabin shook once more, this time resulting in a shattered window.

"There is most _definitely_ a difference, Donna." He chided her sternly.

"Well, _sorry_." Donna said while making a face. She didn't sound like she was terribly sorry.

"They don't seem to like you." Calypso looked to the Doctor with a frown. He had told them, rather smugly, that it was probably just a misunderstanding, and he'd get it sorted out straight away. Things hadn't _exactly_ gone according to plan, which was why they were now huddled together like hunted rabbits.

"What?" He said, looking indignant again. "What's not to like about _me_?"

"_I've_ got a few suggestions." Donna muttered but the Doctor ignored her.

"I _suppose_ we haven't always gotten off on the best foot. But that was _ages_ ago. Wait. Was it? Well, it was for _me_. Hang on, what _year_ is it?" The Doctor was lost in his own thoughts when the Silurian's finally interrupted him.

"Release the prisoner!" They announced again. Calypso breathed a sigh of relief, at least that meant they were going to stop shooting for a while.

"Oi," Donna grumbled, relaxing against the crates. "All this shooting is giving me a migraine." Calypso noticed her hand reaching for her throat instead of her forehead.

"It _is_ a bit excessive." The Doctor agreed, already peeking out over their barrier, knowing the coast was clear.

"Donna," Calypso pressed her hand against her cheek, she was burning up. Most of the others hadn't gotten worse quite so quickly, but then, they hadn't had to deal with running around the ship, or crashing, _or_ being shot at. None of those things were doing Donna any favors right now. "Maybe you should lay back for a bit."

"I'm fine. Don't be silly." Donna brushed her away, fanning herself with her shirt. The wound on her neck caught Calypso's eye again, it was starting to spread, green tendrils reaching down her collarbone. She thought she could see the two marks where the Doctor had said the infection had started. _Fangs_, he had mentioned fangs.

"Doctor…" She said hesitantly, her eyes still glued to Donna's neck.

"Hm?" He asked absently, he looked like he was busy counting the numbers of Silurian's below.

"Do the Silurian's have…_fangs_?" It sounded silly, but she asked anyway.

"Fangs?" He turned his attention back toward her with a frown. "No, not at all. They've got regular teeth, like us. Well, a _bit _different. Still, basically similar. Omnivores and all that." He snapped his own teeth shut to demonstrate. "They _do_ have an extendable pronged tongue that can…oooh." He said softly, his eyes lighting up. "_That's_ interesting." He shuffled over to Donna's side, who looked irritated that he was inspecting her once more.

"Oi!" She slapped at his hands. "_Stop_ fussing."

"They've got _barbs_ in their tongue." He said excitedly, looking to Calypso and ignoring Donna's generally disgruntled mood. "It secretes a _poison_." He released Donna and started to tap his chin thoughtfully.

"_Poison_?" Donna said, properly alarmed now. "What do you mean _poison_?"

"Doesn't make sense that they'd be _green_ though." He shrugged. "No matter, I'd say you're right. We've got a Silurian on board." He said with a grin. "Maybe a perception filter? But why haven't they revealed themselves?" He was talking to himself again, lost in focus.

"Maybe they were injured in the crash?" Calypso suggested. But it didn't make sense why they would have been attacking people during the journey.

"Could be." The Doctor nodded, a thoughtful frown still on his face.

"Maybe they're afraid…" Calypso said slowly, thinking of what might make _her_ lash out at strangers. Scared or hurt would be her guess.

"Maybe they've been hiding." The Doctor added.

"Playing hide and seek and _poisoning_ people? Isn't that a bit _mad_?" Donna seemed extra displeased that she was being ignored. Where could the creature have hidden for all those weeks? If that _was_ what they were doing. They would need to eat, she assumed, and drink. But only the sick had come across the creature, and that wasn't many compared to all the people on the ship, so it had to be somewhere less commonly accessed. The ship lurched as though it had been struck by something, this time with no familiar sound of the guns.

"Oh," The Doctor stuck his head over the side quickly and sunk back down. "Think we're in for it now." His face grew serious as he pulled the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and started twisting it carefully. "There, this should fry _most_ of the weapons. After that," He shrugged. "I suppose we'll just have to talk fast."

"Is that your _brilliant_ plan?" Donna asked, but her cynicism fell a bit flat. A sheen of sweat had broken out across her forehead, and her skin was sickly pale.

"Donna," He said, finally realizing that she was much worse off than she had been letting on. "You've got to lay down for a bit. If things get a bit…_excited_, well. I don't need you accidently getting…shot." He finished bluntly. Calypso took a moment to look at the deck herself, she could see where the hooks of the ramp had sunk into the side of the ship, now it was bouncing as if there were bodies moving across it. They were being _boarded_. A few cries went up from around the deck, others also having recognized what was going on. A few of the crewmen had their pistols on hand, ready to start firing.

"I know where the hostage is!" She said suddenly, well, she didn't _know, _but she had a fairly good guess. She might be able to make it there and back before anything went wrong, "I'll be right back." She told the Doctor who had a startled look on his face.

"No, Calypso, wait-!" But she was already beyond the Doctor's grasp, hunching down to avoid notice from those Silurian's down below. But she realized a moment too late that they had already reached the top of the ramp. They looked just as surprised to see her. She felt frozen in place, only her hands were able to rise defenselessly, the creatures didn't have the same trouble as they raised their weapons to fire at her.

"Don't!" She scrunched her eyes shut, knowing it was too late to duck to the ground. She heard the hiss of the gun and readied herself for the blast.

"No shooting!" The Doctor shouted, his sonic whistling loudly. He collided with her and they both dropped to the ground in a heap. The wind was knocked from her lungs as her back hit the deck and she struggled to catch her breath with the Doctor's weight crushing her.

"Doctor!" Donna shouted, up and running toward them both. Three more of the Silurian's had crested the railing of the ship, weapons aimed at those hiding in the cabins. Calypso was pushing against the Doctor's shoulder, fighting to roll over, she was so _desperate_ for air. Donna finally came to her rescue, lifting his still body up and rolling him to his back. Calypso gratefully gasped in mouthfuls of air before she realized something was wrong. Donna was sitting next to the Doctor, shaking her head.

"Donna, what's…" But she stopped herself, seeing the dark burned mark just below his arm. The cloth was still smoldering from where he had been struck. He wasn't moving.

"Doctor?" She asked in a frail voice. He didn't stir. "No," She shook her head, looking to Donna for reassurance, but she looked just as stricken. "He _can't_." She insisted. Why had he _done_ that? How could he have been so _stupid_? She grasped his shoulders, afraid to shake him too abruptly, but more afraid that he wouldn't open his eyes if she didn't. "You have to wake up." She whispered harshly. "_Please_."

"Blimey," The Doctor groaned, his eyes blinking rapidly. "That _hurt_." Calypso and Donna both jumped back, Calypso choked back a relieved sob. He was _alright_. "Oh no," He pouted. "I _loved_ this suit."

"Well you've _got_ five hundred others." Donna said exasperated, trying to help the Doctor sit up. He sucked in a sharp breath, suggesting maybe he _wasn't_ alright.

"What were you _thinking_?" Calypso realized she was scolding him, _loudly_ even. She had just been so _afraid_ for that brief moment, and all that fear was suddenly channeled into anger. He could have _died_, and for _what_? To spare her the _inconvenience_ of appearing someplace else?

"Oh, knew I'd be alright." He said with a groan as Donna helped lift him up and sit him on the crates, he seemed unaware of the daggers she was glaring at him. "Silurian's are _very _firm believers in the whole 'eye for an eye' business. And _actually_, they're the ones your lot adopted that bit from. Anyway," He shot her a strained grin, for the first time noticing how upset she was.

"Don't-" She shook her head warningly, struggling to control her voice. "Don't _do_ that."

"It's alright," He said reassuringly, though his breathing was ragged. "Just a bit rough around the edges. Couldn't just let you get _shot, _could I?"

"_Yes!" _She exclaimed. "That's _exactly_ what you should have done!" She refused to cry, despite wanting to so badly. He wouldn't understand anyway, and she couldn't let him know. Of course, thinking about that just made her want to cry _more_. "It was _my_ fault! You could have-" Her throat closed up, refusing to admit what might have happened. She was only too aware of what could have happened if he had been _wrong_. It would have been _another_ death on her hands, another careless mistake of hers that others would pay for, and she would have to live with that. Possibly, _forever_.

"Calypso, what's wrong?" He was frowning now, perplexed by her outpouring. Donna was looking a bit startled herself.

"You just…" She trailed off, taking a calming breath. "You shouldn't have done that." She whispered, all the anger in her deflating, giving way to the dark secrets that plagued her. "Not for me." Not for a _thing_. But she didn't say that, she _couldn't_ say that.

"Of course for _you_." He was looking at her like she was _mad_, trying to stand up again. "Who else have I _got_?" She had to look away from his eyes, which were so filled with pain. When he started to stumble, Donna rushed forward to catch him. Calypso could do nothing but stare at the deck. Surely, it would be better for _him_, better for them _both_ if she could convince him not to _care_. If nothing else than to spare him the pain further down the road.

"I guess I'm chopped liver." Donna said mildly as she helped the Doctor sit again. She was doing her best to ease the tension that was growing between them, it was so thick in the air Calypso found it hard to breathe at all.

"Yes, well. You weren't getting shot at." The Doctor said absently, trying to force a smile for Donna, but Calypso could feel his gaze lingering on her, searching for answers.

"Where is the hostage?" Two of the Silurian's had approached them, carefully corralling them against the crates. More were streaming onto the ship, rounding up the scattered passengers and forcing them to gather near the Captain's quarters.

"I know where." Calypso spoke up. "I can find the hostage." She would just have to hope her guess was right, because it seemed like their time for making mistakes had run out.

"Show us." The taller of the two spoke again, the apparent leader of the landing party. It jabbed the weapon at her threateningly and she could feel her heart thundering in her chest. Even though the Doctor had told her they didn't intend to kill them, it did nothing to calm her nerves. And judging from the state of the Doctor, getting stunned wasn't something to take lightly either.

"Hold on!" The Doctor shot up from the crate, a threatening look on his face. "You're not going anywhere without me-_Gah_!" He clenched his teeth as pain ripped through him and clutched Donna's shoulder to keep himself steady. Donna looked on the verge of toppling herself so Calypso went to help keep them both stable.

"It's alright." She reassured him. "You stay put, neither of you are in any condition to go wandering about. I'll find it." She promised.

"Are you _serious_?" He gaped at her. "They're _dangerous_ right now. _Hostile_ even. You can't just go running off alone-" He hissed again and his legs sagged beneath him. They helped lower him onto the crate. "Stings a bit worse than I remember." He groaned through gritted teeth.

The leader was prodding her with the gun again, implying it was time for her to move.

"Can you promise my safety?" She asked, turning to face the Silurian. Knowing the Doctor was just going to argue until he was blue in the face. Donna and the Doctor needed _rest_, _and_ they needed medical attention. The sooner they sorted this out, the sooner they could get _both_. It regarded her carefully for a moment, considering her request.

"If you bring us the hostage, we can promise no harm will come to you. Or the crew." It added with a short nod. That, at least, was _something_. More than she had hoped for, actually.

"See?" She turned back to the Doctor, he was hunched over on the crate, holding his side. Donna had slid down to the ground once more and was peeling off her jacket, she was starting to look a bit queasy. "It's going to be fine."

"What happens if you _don't_ find them?" He asked with a grim look.

"I think we'll _all_ be in trouble then." She knew it was true, just as well as he did. She started to turn back to the Silurian, but the Doctor caught her hand.

"Calypso," He winced as the sudden movement sent more pain rippling through him, but he didn't look away. "I'm so _sorry_." His dark eyes pleaded with her as he held her hand tightly. "Whatever I've done. Truly, I apologize."

She was so startled, that for a moment, she could say nothing. "It's not-" She started, a frown on her face. There was no way to tell him, no way she could explain. But she _didn't_ want him thinking he had _wronged_ her somehow. "You haven't done anything," She said in a softer tone, shaking her head.

"Then what's _wrong_?" He asked her carefully. "I can _help_. Please, just _tell_ me." His kindness just seemed to make it worse. She hated herself even more as she looked at him, seeing the plea in his eyes.

"I can't." She said hollowly. She couldn't face him anymore, couldn't bear to see the hurt that she had caused. "It's not you." She insisted, pulling her hand from his grip. And then she was being urged along by the leader again, ready to move.

"Alright," He said, nodding. "Be careful."

"I will." Calypso turned before she could change her mind, before she could tell him why he was better off _not_ knowing.

"Good luck!" Donna shouted with false cheer as Calypso was swallowed up into the belly of the ship.


	22. The Clementine Part 4

**-1852-**

**-The Clementine-**

The hull of the ship was markedly worse than the rest of the levels. Even before she had reached the ships hold, there were various beams that had been crushed or twisted so badly across the walkway that they were unrecognizable. The Silurian's seemed to have little trouble seeing their way through the mess, but Calypso found her single flickering lamp to be of little comfort. She did take a moment to remind herself to be grateful that the Doctor and Donna had been unable to reach the hold, as that looked to be where the worst of the damage had occurred. When she finally spotted the ladder that would lead her down into the very belly of the ship, she knew the Silurian's would have to wait. Their larger bodies were not as capable of navigating the awkward angles of the shattered woodwork, and so they had stopped and let her descend the remainder of the journey alone.

She hated to admit it, but she wasn't exactly pleased at the prospect. Whatever she was going to find down there wasn't bound to be any happier to see Calypso than it had been to see any of the other passengers who had run across it. What would happen if she were attacked? Would the Silurian's even try to come to her aid? Would they even hear her? The darkness of the hold seemed hardly penetrable to the faint light that her lamp cast, and it swallowed up the sound of everything but her own beating heart. She hadn't much liked the hold when they were at sea, possibly because she always had the secret fear that the walls would suddenly cave in and flood the place with water before she could escape to the upper decks. It wasn't much better now, there was still that stale smell of the ocean, and now the added sense that the whole of the ship could come crashing down on her.

But if her theory was right, this was where the creature would be. The majority of their supplies were down here, along with plenty of spare crates that could be used as places to hide. If it had planned to stow away, this would be the place to do it. Calypso had the sinking feeling that whatever had been down here, must surely be dead by now. The walls still held, as far as she could tell, but there were places where they had buckled inward from the force of the rocks outside, and the planks that once made up the smooth floor were now sticking up jaggedly.

"Hello?" She called out into the darkness, she certainly didn't want to sneak up on anything. Of course, will all the noise she was making trying not to fall on the uneven ground, she seriously doubted she _could_. "Is there anyone here?" Her voice was swallowed up by the murky gloom that surrounded her. She thought she could see something, some kind of light that didn't match the darkness of the rest of the hold. Maybe she was imagining it, but it was all she had to go on, and so she followed it. She finally rounded the corner so that she realized she _hadn't_ imagined it, and in fact, she _recognized_ it. It was the pale white light of the TARDIS windows. She had forgotten that it was even down here.

For all the destruction that had occurred, the blue box seemed entirely untouched. A place of safety in all the chaos. She wanted to be glad to see it, but still she felt her heart racing as she approached. This had been the source of all her troubles, all her doubts for the past year. The reason she couldn't look the Doctor straight in the face any more without hating herself. She hadn't even been able to go near the TARDIS the night the Doctor had left, instead, saying her goodbyes in the courtyard. It seemed silly to her now, to think of how she had _blamed_ her. More than silly, she felt _sorry_ for having held the TARDIS responsible for her _own_ demons. For releasing those memories that she had buried so deep inside. Just because they had been forgotten, didn't make them any less true. And she _had_ been so desperate to learn the truth, how could she blame the TARDIS when she had done exactly what Calypso wanted.

She set down the lamp and slowly made her way toward the blue box, uncertain of how to form an apology. As her hands brushed against the grainy wood of the door, she felt the recognition alight again, just as strong as it had ever been. A soft smile spread across her lips, it felt like a warm hug, being welcomed once home again. She pressed her forehead against the panel and breathed for a moment. This was the only home she had, the only family she had. It had been cruel of her to try to push that away.

_Sister_. The TARDIS wrapped around her mind eagerly.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered in the dark, truly feeling it. She had been alienating the last thing in the universe that she could still claim to have a real connection to. She knew she had some shared heritage with the Doctor, but it seemed insubstantial when she compared it to the bond she shared with the TARDIS. They were both creatures of the time vortex, particles of space and time itself. "I suppose you don't know why." Calypso smirked, realizing that it was earlier in the timeline for both the TARDIS and the Doctor.

_Of course._ The TARDIS replied rather smugly. _I exist in every point of time and space. I know._

Instead of reiterating her apology, Calypso felt the TARDIS brush against her mind pleasantly, filling her with a sense of forgiveness, as though it had never even been a question.

"Thank you." She said finally, pushing back from the box and remembering that she had a task to do down here. Before she could return to it, she was interrupted.

_I kept her safe. When the ceiling falls in, she'll be protected._

"What?" Calypso asked, a little startled and confused. The ceiling, for the most part, already looked as though it _had _crumbled in, in fact, Calypso wasn't sure what was supporting it, because it seemed as though an invisible barrier was preventing the broken beams from crashing down around her.

_Sorry. Wrong tenses again._ _The ceiling has fallen in already, when the ship crashed. But she is safe._

Then the door clicked open and slowly swung inward under the weight of her hand. Calypso stared down at the lock, disbelieving. They key _had_ to be with the Doctor, so how had it opened? It didn't matter though, because the door _was_ open. And now she suspected that the missing Silurian was waiting within the TARDIS. She stepped inside, feeling a bit like a rebellious child. Surely, the TARDIS wouldn't have let her in if she wasn't _allowed_. She recognized the tall branch like supports and the warm orange glow of the interior. She took comfort in the knowledge that the TARDIS was with her, but if the Silurian was inside, it could be anywhere, and that thought was a little worrisome.

"Hello?" She tried again, her voice echoed off the walls and made the ship sound strangely empty. "Is someone in here?" She heard the distinctive sound of something being dragged across the metal flooring and she froze. It came from somewhere below her. Her eyes trailed down to the grating and realized that there was plenty of space for something or someone to be lurking beneath. As her eyes flicked across the floor again she realized one of the metal panels was a bit off, not quite laying flush with the rest of the grated floor. With a deep breath, she walked over to the grate and knelt down, nothing popped up out at her immediately, but that didn't mean she wasn't still expecting it at any moment.

"If you're down there," Her voice was noticeably shaking now, but she couldn't quite stop it. "I think…I think your people are looking for you." She didn't really know _what_ she could say that was convincing to a Silurian, but she was hopeful that _something_ she said was reassuring. "We're down in the ocean now. They think we've taken you. I was sent down to look. I'd like to bring you up top, if that's alright?" She thought she saw something down in the shadows shift quickly, but it didn't move any closer. Nor did it give any inclination that it was going to willingly come up. What if she couldn't convince the creature to leave? Could the Silurian's come down for her? Would they believe her? Something made her think that the TARDIS wouldn't be interested in opening her doors again for a pair of gun wielding Silurian's.

"I'm just…" Her hands were shaking as she lifted the grate up and away, wondering if she would have time to scream before the tongue came lashing out at her. "I'm going to climb down. I'm not going to hurt you. Maybe we can just…talk." She suggested.

Calypso waited a few heartbeats before lowering herself down beneath the flooring. It was darker down here, the grates casting shadows over the cramped storage space of the ship. It did nothing to ease her nerves. She had to sit down, otherwise her neck would start to cramp from hunching over. As she did so, she saw a flicker of movement behind a trunk that she thought looked vaguely human.

"Oh, hello." She said, once her heart had managed to stop thundering in her chest. She took it as a positive sign that she hadn't been attacked. Yet. "Um. What's your name?" She finally asked in the growing silence. "I'm Calypso." She added helpfully. She thought maybe she wasn't going to get an answer, and wondered how else to try and approach the creature.

"Mesi." Said a small voice, she realized that behind the trunk, a shadow of a head had appeared.

"That's a lovely name, Mesi." Calypso smiled genuinely, excited to have gotten any response from the creature.

"I like your name." Mesi responded after a brief silence. Calypso was struck by how _young_ she sounded.

"Well, thank you." Calypso shifted so that she could see around the trunk a little better, but Mesi remained mostly hidden. "Do you know how you got on the ship, Mesi?" She thought that was neutral enough conversation, that might encourage a discussion about how she might get _off_ the ship.

"I got caught." Mesi said in a frustrated voice, she scooted out a little further from behind the trunk. She didn't look much like the Silurian's above. Her skin was slick, but even in the shadows, she could see it was a vibrant green. "With the silver bellies."

It took Calypso a moment to understand that she was talking about fish. "Oh, the fishing lines." She was a little relieved to find it had been an accident. She hoped that would be something they could explain to the Silurian's who were still accusing them of having _kidnapped_ the creature. Perhaps she had just gone unnoticed as the crew had hauled up the gear.

"Fishing?" Mesi had moved closer and Calypso could see her nose wrinkled up like she had said something funny. She realized that she didn't just _sound_ young, she _was _young. But suddenly, she wasn't afraid any more. Because it wasn't a strange alien creature, it was just a lost little girl.

"Yeah, that's what we call it. Catching fish in a big net. Fishing. Funny word, isn't it?" Mesi nodded with a shy grin on her face. That's when Calypso caught sight of her arm. Instead of being smooth and green like the rest of her, she could see it was raw and angry looking, pink and red where blood was oozing out, scales torn away had hanging from her skin. "What happened to your arm?" Calypso asked alarmed, crawling forward without realizing what she was doing until Mesi started to retreat behind the trunk again.

"I'm sorry." She said, stopping her movement quickly, "It just…it looks like that hurt." Mesi didn't retreat any further, but she did watch Calypso more carefully.

"Everything started to crash." Mesi said, her chin wobbling as she looked down at her arm. She must be _very_ young then. "But the blue box wasn't. So I hid inside."

"I'm glad you did." Calypso brushed her fingers against the cool floor soothingly. "I think she likes you."

"It's a she?" Mesi asked doubtfully. "Is she _alive_?" Her uncertainty about the prospect was fairly evident from the way she looked around.

"She certainly is. Can I tell you a secret?" Calypso made an effort to look around to make sure no one was around to hear. That had Mesi's attention, all children loved secrets. She nodded eagerly. "She's _magic_ too. She can take you any place at all. Anywhere in the whole _universe_."

"The Universe?" Mesi was skeptical once again, though she seemed interested in the possibility of magic.

"Think of it like the ocean, but _bigger_." Calypso widened her arms to illustrate the point and Mesi's clear green eyes grew wide at that.

"Do you think it can take me home?" She asked in a quiet voice.

"Of course it can. But I can't fly it. That'll have to be the Doctor. He's up top with the other Silurian's. That's what you are, right?"

Mesi nodded once, recognizing the word.

"Alright, do you think I could look at your arm? And then we can take you up top and figure out how to get you back to your parents. Does that sound like a good idea?" Mesi seemed like she might protest, but she finally agreed, sliding forward. Deciding that her arm hurt badly enough to ask for help. And while Calypso was a stranger, she seemed like she didn't pose much of a threat.

_The red jar in the trunk will aid the healing, and the pain. _The TARDIS suggested, sending her an image of a ratty looking can buried amongst a pile of junk. Calypso frowned, wondering how the TARDIS had known what she would need, but that answer was given too. _I saw you find it. Or, I guess, I will see you find it. When you've found it. It will help._

"Alright," Calypso smiled encouragingly at Mesi before opening the trunk between them. "I think we've got just the thing for it."


	23. The Clementine Part 5

**-1852-**

**- The Clementine -**

* * *

><p>Calypso was still feeling a little lost. She was standing in a hospital, not <em>just<em> a hospital though, but one that was vastly more advanced than anything she had seen back home. And the place was _bustling_ with people, some from the ship, but more still were those who _lived_ down here. The dark shape in the distance hadn't just been a building, it had been a whole _city_ of buildings. Some were carved from stone and sand, some looked like the coral supports in the Doctor's TARDIS, and others had been pieced together from wreckage that had sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

Some of the doctors and nurses were very clearly Silurian's, but still others were more like Mesi, more human looking than alien. But there were others who looked _very_ human, except for the occasional Silurian trait. Bright green eyes, scales covering the flesh of their arms. This was what alarmed her the most. Those people hadn't been born down below the ocean, they had been _brought_ here. They had once been like the passengers from her own ship.

"Ah, there you are." The Doctor popped up behind her. She wasn't entirely sure _what_ he had said to convince the Silurian's, but as soon as she had returned to the deck with Mesi, instead of an awkward stand-off between guards and passengers, they had started to carry the sick off of the ship. While things had still been rather tense, Mesi's reappearance had calmed much of the uncomfortable hostility. "You've lost your friend." He said with a frown.

"She found some other friends to play with." Calypso offered a smile. Mesi had been glued to Calypso's hip as they had come down to the hospital, eying each and every new Silurian suspiciously. But when they had found a cluster of children, she had lost most of her shyness. Calypso had promised to come back for her just as soon as she had checked on Donna. "Is everyone going to be okay?" She asked, watching the Doctor carefully. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared fixedly at the ground.

"Well, _yes_. In a manner of speaking." She didn't like the sound of that. She had been hearing rumors as she went through the hospital, about how it wasn't really a poison that the Silurian's excreted. It was some sort of chemical, but it _changed_ humans. Changed them into the hybrids Calypso was seeing all over the hospital.

"What about Donna? Is she still going to be…_Donna_?" She knew it was selfish, there were many people on the ship who had fallen ill, who had been sick far longer than Donna. But she couldn't help the growing fear in her belly.

"I'm not sure a few scales could stop Donna from being Donna," The Doctor smirked. "But yes, she's going to return to normal. Only three or so from the ship are going to have any permanent…changes." Calypso had to admit she was relieved, even as she winced at the truth. "There's folks talking with them now, they'll be alright." He reassured her. "Apparently the Silurian's have been picking up shipwrecks for a while now. Quite the melting pot they've got going on down here, right underneath our noses." He seemed quite entertained by the idea. "I suppose you'll be wanting to see Donna." He beckoned her forward. "Come on, I can take you to her room."

"Thank you." She offered as she followed him down the hallway.

"You know she was awfully worried about you." He cast a glance over his shoulder. "Thought you were acting _strange_." The way he worded it suggested that maybe he was in agreement about that. She bit her lip, she had been just as unfair to the Doctor as she had to the TARDIS. But she couldn't exactly come right out and explain, because he wasn't aware of his future yet. And there was still that fear that he would see what she truly was, and cast her away. She wasn't sure she could face that, and so she continued in her silence. Even then, she didn't know that she deserved his forgiveness. The silence dragged on between them, and she was unsure of how to respond. It was easy to pretend she was distracted by the chaos around her, there were so many different kinds of people down here, and all of their tools were so vastly advanced, she wondered how a whole society of people could stay hidden underneath the ocean and survive for so long without even a hint of suspicion on the surface.

"I was wondering if I could ask you a favor?" She asked, timidly breaching the quiet.

"Anything." He said, piercing her with that sharp gaze of his. She almost preferred the silence, but she supposed it was too late for that.

"I was wondering if you might be able to take Mesi home?" The intensity of his gaze softened into a smile. "She seemed to like the TARDIS."

"Well, sure. But why not the Silurian's? They _did_ come all this way to find her." He asked, letting his eyes wander the halls again.

"She doesn't know them, didn't seem too excited about trusting them either." She shrugged.

"What makes you think she'll trust _me_?" He asked, amused. Of course, Mesi had warmed to the Doctor the instant she had met him. Even when he had pretended to steal her nose on the deck of the ship under the disapproving glare of their Silurian guards. Calypso doubted that Mesi would have any qualms about getting a ride home with the Doctor.

"Well, she seems to trust me. And I trust you." She said off hand.

"Do you?" The Doctor had come to a sudden stop and had fixed her with his brown eyes again.

"Of course." She frowned. As she searched his eyes, she realized he was truly asking, as though he _doubted_ it. "Doctor." She sighed. Again, she was hurting him, without even meaning to. And without being able to explain _why_. "I trust you completely. And that hasn't changed. Ever." She promised him. "I just don't trust myself right now." In fact, she didn't particularly _like_ herself just then, but admitting that would make things more complicated than they already were. Her words seemed to reassure the Doctor somewhat.

"Is it timey wimey?" He offered with a hint of a smile.

"Incredibly." She grinned. It was difficult to keep that buffer up with him around, harder still to keep her distance.

"Alright, well. Here we are." He nodded over his shoulder to an open door in the wall. Calypso hadn't realized that they had stopped somewhere particular. "I'm sure she's dying to chat you up."

"You're not coming?" Calypso asked with a frown as he stood deliberately outside of the door.

"_Well_," The Doctor drawled as he scratched the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze. "She seemed pretty adamant about wanting to talk to you…_alone_." Calypso stifled a groan and the Doctor seemed to recognize the sentiment. "Yeah. Good luck." He flashed a grin. "I'll go see if I can't track down Mesi. Sooner we get her home the better. We'll see if you need rescuing." He winked at her before disappearing down the hall. Now she was left alone to fend off the demands of Donna, and she wasn't feeling particularly up to the challenge.

"Hello Donna." She put on a cheery smile as she entered the room. Donna was squawking at one of the nurses who was insisting that she open her mouth for a thermometer.

"It's gone, alright! No more fever. Cool head, look," She snatched the nurses hand and pressed it against her forehead. "So you can just _leave_ it. Oh, hello Calypso." Donna waved as she saw her at the door, giving the nurse the time to retract her hand and an excuse to leave. She looked like Mesi with her bright green skin, and Calypso could hear her muttering, what she assumed, were Silurian obscenities as she walked out of the door.

"How are you feeling?" Calypso asked, settling herself on the edge of the bed.

"Don't give me _that_." Donna's false smile turned to a frown rather quickly. "I'm _fine_. Out with it. What's going on?" Calypso opened her mouth to ask what she meant but Donna shook her head firmly. "No no, none of your _nonsense_. You know _exactly_ what I'm asking about. What's going on between you and the bloody Doctor?" Calypso sighed.

"Nothing. It's really nothing." She tried her best to be convincing but Donna wasn't interested.

"Callie," Donna looked at her mildly. "We're friends. _Good_ friends, I'd like to think." That made Calypso smile, it was difficult _not_ to be friends with Donna. She had the kind of infectious quality that was easy to get along with, once Donna had decided she approved, of course. "And I have _never_ seen you so spooked around the Doctor. Now, maybe you can't talk to _him_ about it because of all this time travel nonsense. But you're _certainly_ going to tell me." Her tone suggested that there _wasn't_ another option.

"Donna…" Calypso started, she really shouldn't tell Donna because of the time lines _either_.

"Don't you _Donna_ me." She said with a sharp scowl. "I know you'll just bottle it up. Just like the _bloody_ Doctor. So out with it already. What's that git done to you now?"

"He hasn't done _anything_." Calypso shook her head miserably. She felt just as badly as she had when the Doctor had suspected the same. It almost made it worse to admit that it was she herself, who was the one at fault. She could feel the lump building in her throat already, she wanted to tell someone _so_ desperately. Just so it wouldn't continue to be this dark secret that was eating her alive.

"It's _me_." She finally whispered. "But I can't tell him the truth, because he doesn't know yet." She felt the words tumbling out. Her hands were shaking so badly she had to fold them in her lap to keep them still. "And I don't _want_ him to know." Her voice caught in the end, admitting that aloud had torn something in her. That was the worst of it. She wanted to hide it away forever, she _wanted_ to lie about it. She didn't want him to see her as the warmonger, the _thing_. The machine that destroyed her people. But it was already too late, and it hurt to know that she was just delaying the inevitable. She had no choice in the matter, he would know someday soon.

"Oh come on." Donna said, sitting forward so she could rub Calypso's back. "It's can't be all _that_ bad." While Donna meant to comfort her, it only seemed to make it worse. She _wanted_ to be comforted, but she didn't deserve it. Her vision blurred as the first tears started to fall down her cheeks and a sob caught in her throat. She buried her face in her hands to hide her tears but it was too late to stop them. "Alright, alright." Donna said, wrapping her arms around Calypso's shoulders and pulling her close. "It's alright." Donna reassured her calmly. Calypso had thought breaking down like this would make it worse, but somehow, she felt lighter. And having Donna there to comfort her made the sharpness of her misery suddenly less so. She had fought so hard to stay in control of her emotions for the past year, that it hadn't occurred to her that maybe she still needed to _grieve_. After the initial wave of incontrollable sobbing, she found herself calming down again.

"So tell me then. What did _you_ do that was so bad?" Donna asked her, giving her shoulders a friendly squeeze. "I promise we'll still be mates, no matter what." She teased, Calypso gave a watery smile. She could sit there silently if she wanted to, she knew Donna would eventually let it go. But she didn't want to hold it in any more, she wanted those memories out where it couldn't poison her every thought and chase her through her dreams. She took a deep breath, wiping her face as clean as she could. Having made the decision, she already felt oddly peaceful.

"The last time I met the Doctor, he was older. I was waiting for him in the TARDIS and…well, she _spoke_ to me." Donna raised an eyebrow, skeptical. Calypso wondered if that admission alone would make her think she was mad, but she didn't interrupt, so Calypso continued. "She helped me remember my past, she was able to show me my life, back on Gallifrey." She said bleakly.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Donna said. "Isn't it? I'd hate to think what it'd be like to just up and lose a big chunk of my life like that. I'd be _miserable_." But her smile fell as she saw that Calypso _wasn't_ happy about it. "Did something bad happen then? On Gallifrey?"

Calypso nodded, gulping back tears. "I betrayed my father wishes. I started a war. And I did it because I was stupid, and naive."

"Oh," Donna said, nodding slowly. "That _is _bad then." She frowned as she rubbed Calypso's shoulder. "But, it could be _worse_, yeah?" Donna offered meekly.

"It _is_." Calypso laughed without mirth. "Some of the memories came from the time vortex itself. I saw my father and he…I saw what I _was_."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm a _thing_, Donna." She couldn't even look her in the eyes. "I'm an experiment. The reason I can communicate with the TARDIS is because I'm _like_ her. My father harnessed the vortex and gave it a body. He got me. I'm not even _real_ and I betrayed my people." The tears threatened to overtake her again, but she pushed them away. "I'm a malfunctioning machine." She snorted. Donna gave a pitying smile, but didn't respond. Instead, she rubbed against Calypso's back, the both of them not saying anything for a long time.

"What was your da like?" She finally asked softly. The question caught Calypso by surprise, it also startled her to know that thinking of him didn't immediately cause her to flinch back. It didn't hurt to remember what he was like, to access those memories that weren't about them fighting, or his death.

"He was a brilliant man." Calypso said with a hesitant smile. "And sweet. He loved my mother very much."

"Yeah? And what was she like?" Donna prompted her encouragingly.

"She was the peacemaker in the family. She was kind to everyone, even when we were rotten." In the dark hole where her misery had firmly planted itself, a small tendril of light started to grow. "She was so beautiful." She said wistfully, remembering.

"Sounds like you take after them both." Donna said smiling. "Sounds like they loved you." She added softly.

"They did." Calypso's voice started to tremble then, remembering what their love had cost them.

"Did they die in the war?" Donna asked, seeing the tears start to form in her eyes again. Calypso couldn't answer, only nod her head. "I'm so sorry sweetheart." Donna whispered, hugging her tight again. They just sat like that for a while and Calypso focused on steadying her breathing. "Why do you think that you started it?" She finally asked.

Calypso shook her head. "I thought I could change it. There was a man, a time lord. He said if I helped, I could save Gallifrey. My father said he was wrong. I thought he…it doesn't matter. I should have listened. If I had just _listened_ to him, none of this ever would have happened." Her jaw tightened, there was the blame again, all that bloodshed, lain at her feet.

"You can't think like that." Donna rocked her gently. "There's loads of things I _ought_ to have done. We make mistakes, we're only human. Well, you're Gallifreyan…time vortex-y. _Something_. Complicated, is what _you_ are." She tweaked Calypso's nose and for the first time she felt herself smirk at the thought of Donna being unable to _name_ her. "But you said you were trying to _stop_ the war. Maybe you couldn't have, but you _tried_. What's so wrong about that?"

"My family died." Calypso said hollowly.

"Yeah, but that's not your _fault_. No more that it's the Doctor's fault that the time lords had to be stopped. Bad things just _happen_ sometimes. You've got to let go of the bad parts. You can't let them get you worked up like this. You've gotta remember the good stuff you _did_ get back, those times with your family. I know that's what they would have wanted."

Calypso nodded, she _did_ have the memories of her old life back. Her family, those few she called her friends, and they _had_ cared for her. She missed them fiercely, and it hurt to think that she had been the cause of their deaths, but she didn't want to forget them completely. She wanted to remember that they had been a part of her life, talking about them with Donna had somehow made them more real again.

"But I'm still-"

"You're still _Calypso_." Donna interrupted her. "And you're about the most important person to the Doctor as I've ever seen. You're pretty important to me too." She smiled fondly at her.

"But how can I act like everything is okay? How can I keep hiding what I am?"

"Honestly," Donna glared at her like she was a bit thick. "You really think the _Doctor_ is going to fuss when he finds out you're a test tube baby?"

"A what?"

"Never mind." Donna shook her head. "The _point_ is, he won't care. Did you tell him? In the future?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Yeah? And what did he say?"

Calypso felt her cheeks redden. She wasn't quite prepared to share with Donna _exactly_ what he had said. She was still unsure how she felt about that. And he certainly didn't feel that way right _now_, the last thing she wanted was Donna opening her mouth on _that_ particular subject.

"He…he said it wasn't my fault…" She trailed off.

"And? The other bit? About you being a tragic time machine in a woman's body?" Donna goaded her.

"I guess he didn't seem bothered." She had been so wrapped up in her own misery that it hadn't really occurred to her at the time.

"You're _barmy_, you know that?" Donna snorted at her. "Actually, the _both_ of you are. You should have seen him sulking when you were down getting that munchkin. Like a little old woman he was!" Donna rolled her eyes. "If he keeps going on like that, I'll have to smack him. You'll have to give him a proper snog. It's the only way." Donna said solemnly.

"Donna!" Calypso exclaimed, but she couldn't quite help the grin that spread across her face.

"Well, I mean. _I_ certainly don't mind…" Calypso's head snapped around so quickly she felt a little dizzy. The Doctor was standing in the doorway, _almost_ looking sheepish. Her mouth dropped open and then shut very quickly again. Whatever mortification she had been feeling before at Donna's teasing, it was nothing compared to what she was feeling just then. If it were possible to cook eggs on her head, she was certain her face was hot enough.

"Ah, properly traumatized." Donna muttered quietly. "That looks pretty _real_ to me." Calypso shot her a look before she managed to regain some of her composure.

"How long have you been standing there?" She demanded, standing up from the bed. She had to admit, the humiliation was making her feel _quite_ real at the moment.

"Oh, not long…" The Doctor trailed off, looking nervous under Calypso's suspicious gaze. "I brought Mesi! Remember? I was bringing her by, to… you know, save you…from…." His eyes wandered to where Donna was still sitting on the bed, her arms crossed over her chest. "Mesi!" He pulled her forward from where she was waiting in the hallway, proving that he had indeed brought her with, and effectively changing the subject. "Thought we could pop her off home. And, I suppose. Send you on your way. If you'd like." He shrugged.

"Is that the little thing that got me?" Donna asked wonderingly. Mesi looked up at Donna shyly from where she was hiding behind.

"Sorry." She mumbled.

"That's alright love," Donna smiled warmly. "She's pretty cute, for a biter." She shrugged.

"Alright," Calypso nodded in as dignified a manner as she could muster. She turned back to Donna, who was still scowling at the Doctor. "Guess this is goodbye then." She smiled, Donna gripped her in a tight hug once more.

"You know I love you sweetheart. Try not to get so down about things." She whispered in her ear and Calypso nodded, feeling tears prick her eyes for different reasons entirely. "I'll be seeing you around." Donna gave her another squeeze before releasing her.

"Thanks Donna." Calypso smiled brightly as she followed the Doctor out of the room.

"Everything alright?" He asked warily, noticing her puffy eyes. Mesi wrapped her fingers around Calypso's and swung between the two of them all the way down the hall.

"Yeah." Calypso said grinning, feeling like, for the first time, it might actually be true. "I'm sorry for being-"

"Don't." The Doctor cut her off. "Whatever it was, I'm sure you had reasons."

"Thank you."

"Nice to be out of the doghouse though." The Doctor grinned at her as though nothing were wrong again.

"Doghouse?"

"Oh, an old American expression. Well. I suppose it's not old _now_. But it will be." They turned a corner and the blue box was there waiting for them; the Silurian's having pulled it out from the wreckage. The Doctor unlocked the door with his key and opened it wide for Mesi, who scuttled into the ship. "Well, she's made herself right at home, hasn't she?" He asked with a smirk. He held the door open for Calypso but she stopped in the doorway, hesitant.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"Well, it's just the last time we met. You told me something, and I didn't know how to respond. There had been…rather a _lot_ going on. I think I was a bit rude." Calypso twisted her hands together, until that moment she had been unsure of what she intended to do.

"Rude? You? Never." He scoffed. "What rude thing did you say?"

"Well…Merry Christmas." She shrugged, it was dawning on her that apologizing in advance for something was more difficult that she had anticipated.

"That's not very _rude_." He looked at her with a skeptical frown. "Oh," He said, cheering up with a grin. "That's brilliant, we get to have Christmas together."

"It was more…in the context. It wasn't…" She struggled to explain, but his good mood was making it difficult to think properly, or perhaps it was that silly grin on his face. "I guess it wasn't want I _wanted_ to say." She finished lamely.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well what did you _want_ to say? I promise to try _really_ hard to remember it. For your sake." He teased her.

"I can't really explain, maybe…" She realized she was lost in those warm brown eyes and her heart was suddenly drumming in her chest. She knew what she had wanted to say, _now_. Maybe she _was_ just a thing, but if the Doctor had been able to look past that, and Donna, and even her family. Perhaps she could too. She had emotions, and hopes, and dreams. All things that felt _very _real to her.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she pushed herself forward, pressing her lips against the Doctor's own. While she had been hopeful for a positive reaction, she was still a little surprised at the intensity with which he returned it. For one blissful moment she melted into him, she didn't care about the strangers in the hospital who stopped to stare. She didn't care about her past or her fears. In that moment, she realized she had all she wanted in the world, and nothing else mattered.

A little reluctantly, she pushed away from him, finding that she was clutching to his jacket desperately as though she were afraid she would fly away. His own arms had fallen from the TARDIS door and had wrapped themselves around her.

"Maybe," She swallowed as she took a deep calming breath. Reminding herself to keep a reasonable distance between the two of them before daring to look up into his face again. "If you remember that, you'll…you'll know what I _wanted_ to say."

"Well," His voice was low as a pleased grin spread across his lips. She did her very best not to dip forward again, no matter how tempting the idea was. The look in his eyes suggested that giving into that impulse would result in _very_ dangerous consequences. "I'm a daft old man. But I think I'll be able to remember _that_."

His hand slid from her waist and gripped her own, pushing the door open once again. "Shall we?" He nodded over his shoulder to the waiting TARDIS. She felt the warm greeting once more and felt like she was home again. She grinned and stepped into the ship, mindful of how close the Doctor was as she passed him. "Oh, and remind me to thank Donna for that little chat when I get back." He said as he closed the door behind him, which earned him a sharp slap in the arm.


	24. The Titanic

**-1912-**

**- The Titanic -**

* * *

><p>"I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised. I didn't think I'd find you on a <em>ship<em> again." His voice was grinning as he walked up behind her. She shivered in the cool wind but she smiled, she didn't have to turn around to recognize him. He leaned against the railing next to her, dressed as finely as she had ever seen him. A full tuxedo, a white shirt, and matching bow tie.

"It wasn't so bad last time." She shrugged.

"Really? You seemed in…a mood." He said tactfully.

"I _was_ in a mood." She shoved his shoulder playfully. "And for good reason." She had to admit, she never thought she would have been _joking_ about it. But then, it had been more than two years ago that Donna had sat her down and made her feel substantially better about everything. It was also easier with _this_ version of him, knowing that he _did_ know.

"Oh?" He frowned. "Oh, right." He nodded slowly. "Ah, yes, the bit with the TARDIS. I had forgotten." She tried her best not to laugh at him. He hadn't been looking _past_ her painted history, it had just hardly registered.

"Besides," She said. "I haven't got a spaceship to take me anywhere I'd like. So I have to settle for a ship if I'm to make it to the America's."

"Yes," He frowned. "I _am_ working on that."

"Any luck?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. She already knew the answer though, otherwise, she assumed she would have seen him sooner than now.

"Not yet." His eyes glittered, reflecting the smile on his lips. It almost seemed like a promise.

"Well then, ship it is. Besides, my luck can't be that bad _all_ the time."

"Right," His smile faded somewhat. "Funny you should mention that…"

"No." She said, pressing her gloved finger against his lips to silence him. The smile on her face was replaced by a stern glare.

"No?" He managed to mumble.

"No. Absolutely _not_. _No._ There are no whirlpools threatening to sink us. No cybermen ready to attack from below decks. And there's certainly no genius aboard raising the dead." She removed her finger from his lips and dared him to contradict her.

"Well, yes. You're right." He admitted reluctantly.

"Alright then." She placed the pleasant smile back on her face. "I'm on a luxury ship, spending my hard earned money and I intend to enjoy it for a moment. There doesn't _need_ to be a disaster for you to show up."

"That's also…technically true." He nodded slowly, a smirk pulling at his lips.

"I'm glad we're in agreement then." She gave a curt nod as though she had properly put him in his place. The grin spread to the rest of his face.

"It's good to see you." He swooped in and hugged her tightly against his chest.

"And you." She agreed. She wasn't quite willing to admit _how_ glad she was to see him again. "I've got ten, how many have you?" Her fingers felt the necklace as a habit, but she had no real need to count.

"Nineteen." He said proudly. She noticed he didn't need to produce his chain to count either. She let a small sigh escape, it was always a bit more difficult when it felt like she was trying to catch up with him. But she supposed it was far better than the alternative, when he didn't know her at all.

"Don't give me that. I'll be a perfect gentleman." He huffed at her indignantly.

"Not like I haven't heard that before." She teased him.

"Well…" He shrugged. "I'll just have to try my best." The wink he gave her was a playful one as he stepped back and let his hand drift down to her own, raising it above her head and twirling her in place. "Along _that_ train of thought, might I add that you look _quite_ lovely."

She was smiling as she spun, her free hand trailing down the midnight blue gown she wore. The small cap sleeves made it a bit chilly for the deck, but there had been a party, and it had been the only nice dress she had indulged in purchasing. The crystals that scattered across the folds of dark fabric had beckoned to her some weeks ago when she had still been planning for the trip. It had just begged to be splurged on. At least, that was what she had told herself. If she wasn't careful, she wouldn't have anything left by the time she reached the America's.

"I thought you might like it." She grinned as he pulled her close again. The mischievous look in his eyes made her heart flutter in her chest, but he didn't try anything untoward. She half wished he would.

"You knew I was coming?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No." She shrugged. But it had been hard _not_ to think of the Doctor and his blue box when she had seen the dress in the store, the one that reminded her so much of the starry sky.

"But you _have_ been thinking of me." He was just close enough that she could feel the warmth of his skin. It would only take the slightest movement of her head, and she knew she could close the distance between them. But she didn't feel quite that bold yet, not with him. It was quite a rush to think that maybe she would be soon. But she took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"Maybe," She said with a laugh, stepping back so she could breathe properly once more. "Or maybe you're just a bit predictable." She started to walk along the deck and he joined her. "Did you know _I_ would be here?"

"No. Not exactly. Well," He shrugged. "Not before I arrived anyway. The TARDIS does that fussy thing, I'm starting to recognize it. So I guessed maybe you were. Lucky me." He walked close enough to her that their shoulders brushed against one another.

"Yes, you are." She bumped against his arm playfully. "I suppose me not quite being a _real_ person was bound to have an effect on the poor girl." She said it in jest, but there was an unintended edge to her voice. Perhaps she wasn't _quite_ recovered from all that then. Just because it had been so easy for him to dismiss, didn't mean she could all the time.

His warm hands grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him, his gentle smile suddenly turned to something more serious.

"Of course you're a _real_ person." His eyes searched her own as he spoke. "It doesn't matter how you were _born_. Only that you're here now. With _me_." He said the last part softly, inching close and her breath caught in her throat again. It was amazing how he had that kind of effect on her every time she saw him. Whatever her fears were about his thoughts about her origins, it was suddenly very clear that he didn't share them.

And then his progress stopped, a smile pulling at his lips again.

"Almost forgot. I'm being a gentleman tonight." He started to push back but she felt her hand catch his shoulder.

"I don't mind." She said breathlessly. His eyes widened in surprise, but then his grin grew wider.

Whatever else she was thinking was torn away as the ship shrieked around them and the ground shook violently. She clung to the Doctor as her feet swayed below her, but whatever it was seemed to have passed.

"What was that?" She asked, looking around, but his eyes were focused over her shoulder at a fixed point. She followed his gaze and gasped as she saw the monster of an iceberg looming over the side of the ship. It was close, _too_ close. It glowed brighter as the lights from the bridge reflected off of it, finally smashing against the railings and large hunks of the beast falling to the deck.

"_That_." The Doctor said irritably. "Means that I've arrived much too late." He wrapped his arm over her shoulders and pulled her along, heading toward the rear of the ship.

"Where are we going?" She asked as he pulled her to the side, he brought out the sonic screwdriver from his jacket pocket and aimed it a nearby door labeled 'crew only'. It popped unlocked with minimal resistance and he tucked the sonic back away. "I don't think you're allowed in there." She raised her eyebrow, he was being uncomfortably silent.

"I'm the Doctor, I'm allowed anywhere." He stooped into the doorway quickly and returned. Seeing the concern on her face, he flashed a grin. "Look, I've brought something for you." He held out a thick white vest. A life jacket. "Now," He said, all business once again as he pushed the thing down over her head and began to secure it. "You're going to listen to me. _Actually _listen." He warned her with a stern finger. He tightened the straps around her waist. "And put this on," He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it over her shoulders, it was still warm from his skin and smelled like the sky and the earth all at once. "Because it's going to get cold. _Very _cold."

"What's going on?" She asked, frowning now. She had the sinking feeling that he knew what was going on, and he was intentionally avoiding telling her. Of course some kind of disaster was going to befall them, why had she been so silly to think it wouldn't?

"Are you listening now?" He asked. "Good. You're going to head to the back of the ship. And you're going to wait by the lifeboats. They won't load for another…oh, twenty minutes maybe, but that's alright. You'll just stand there looking a bit silly-" He stopped himself. "_Radiant_. You'll stand there looking _radiant_. But eventually these important looking fellows will come along and start loading up passengers. And you'll get on one of the boats."

"Why aren't you coming with me?" She frowned.

"It's nothing. Just a bit of business to attend to, below decks. Won't take but a minute." He shrugged. "Not to worry. I'll be along shortly."

"So why can't I go with you?"

"Oh," He waved his hand at her dismissively. "You'd never make it to third class. A lady like you? Traipsing her way through the crew decks? No one would buy it. It would take far too long and I don't really have the time to argue with every person I run into down there."

"But you'll have no trouble at all?" It sounded like an excuse to her, a poorly thought out one.

"Sure, I'm the Doctor." He grinned brightly. "Plus I'm just oozing confidence. No one questions a confident well to do man."

She wasn't buying it, and she was about to tell him when he cupped her face in his hands. "Calypso," He said as he kissed her forehead, gazing into her eyes. "I need you to _trust_ me." He said the words gently. She knew better than to believe him. But she did it anyway.

"Back of the ship?" She asked with a sigh. He beamed at her proudly and kissed her cheek before releasing her.

"Yes. Wait for me there. Or. Don't wait. No. Wait for me in the boats. I'll be right behind you." He promised before rushing off to dive head first into whatever trouble he had planned. She just shook her head as she watched him disappear below decks, tugging the jacket tighter around her shoulders and trying to ignore the sharp feeling in her gut that was begging her to follow him.


	25. The Titanic Part 2

**-1912-**

**- The Titanic -**

* * *

><p>"Women and children! Men step aside!" The officers were calling across the deck, the scattering of people had turned to a full crowd in the hour that she had been waiting. She was near the railing, at a safe distance from the boats. One of the officers had grabbed for her, intending to pull her onto the boat before it was hoisted down. Calypso had refused, where was he? He had said it would be a short trip, and that he would be right behind her. But she knew that was impossible now. They were denying even the richest of men a seat. How would he be any different from the men who were slowly filling the deck?<p>

The ship had long since come to a halt, people had not been overly alarmed when they had first come out, waken from their beds for what they deemed, no good reason at all. But now it was different, there was a definite tilt to the ship that hadn't been there before. And the urgency of the officers seemed to suggest that it was important to be loaded onto the life boats, whether they could see the immediate danger or not. Still more of them continued to come up from the stairwell, all looking fresh from their beds, some dressed only in nightgowns and a coat. Any who brought luggage with were firmly told to leave it before they could be ushered onto a lifeboat. She watched over the edge of the railing as the first few splashed into the dark water below, the ropes releasing them and the crew rowing out away from the ship.

That sent her heart racing. The reality of the situation was sinking in, just like it was for many of the passengers. This was really happening, the ship had sent out flare after flare into the night sky, but there had been no responses. They would sink alone into the cold grip of the Atlantic. What was worse, was that Calypso had heard whispers of there not being enough space to save everyone. The idea seemed ridiculous to her, how could there be too few? What kind of madman would set sail without proper safety precautions for the passengers? The kind of man who proclaimed his ship 'unsinkable' she supposed.

"Excuse me." She grabbed a young man as he darted through the throngs of people, she had seen him twice before, conversing with the crewmen. The boy was probably no more than a page, passing messages back and forth from captain to deck hands. He nearly pushed right past her, but she was insistent, and so was her grip. "Can you tell me what's going on?" His eyes darted away from hers, but the officers hadn't noticed them and didn't look to be coming to rescue him from the haughty young woman.

"Seems to be trouble with the engines miss." He said uncomfortably meeting her gaze. "Women and children to be loaded into lifeboats until we can get it sorted. I suggest you queue up."

"Are we sinking?" She asked sharply, there had been nothing wrong with the engines before, and if they had failed, there was no real reason that they could not all remain on the ship. He jerked his head around sharply, aware of the others that surrounded them on the deck, though few gave them any notice.

"Please miss," His voice was lowered. "They've told me not to alarm anyone needlessly. Don't want to cause a panic. I just…suggest you get yourself on a boat. Quickly." She could read it in his eyes plain as day. They were in serious trouble. It felt like a lump had settled itself deep in her stomach.

"But…I have a friend, down below decks. I'm waiting for him. How bad is it?" She was fooling herself if she thought he could give her good news.

He gulped, passing his eyes over those nearest him and leaned forward. "She's taking on water fast, miss. I'd suggest your friend get up to the deck just as quick as he can. But I'd get yourself on a boat anyway. I don't think he'll be getting a spot, now or otherwise."

"But why?" She shook her head.

"There's not enough boats." He said the last part so quiet she almost didn't believe he had said it. But he was just confirming what others had been muttering about in hushed tones. The shock of it loosened her grip enough that he stepped back from her. "Go on miss." He said from a safe distance. "Plenty of them now. Find yourself a spot, if I see your friend I'll tell him you got off safely."

She nodded her thanks and let him go, watched as a father gave a reassuring squeeze to his two children as they were shuffled forward with the rest who climbed aboard the small vessel.

"That _idiot_." She fumed to herself. People were still streaming onto the deck, how many of them would be forced to stay behind as their families were divided? How many of them were even now strolling around casually, laughing, commenting on the sharpness of the weather. Oblivious. "I'm going to _kill_ him."

* * *

><p>It had been a struggle to get back down below decks, even more so since every crew member she came across insisted that the best route was to head up toward the deck. She had, quite ungraciously, ended the last exchange by screaming at the man. He had given her a wide-eyed look and continued past her, muttering to himself while tossing one more dark look over his shoulder. But once she had evaded the crowds and the crew, it was largely calm. Those who remained below, and there were very few, were either oblivious to the situation, or disbelieving that anything could go wrong. She couldn't blame them, though she did try to encourage those who would listen to go, to head toward the decks.<p>

Her heart was heavy as she told them, knowing that even if they listened to her, they might not survive. She became more aware of the tilt of the ship as an abandoned dining cart slowly came rolling down the hallway toward her, rattling the dishes it carried gently. It carried on past her until it slammed into the wall ahead.

That alarmed her more than anything, she had been unconsciously compensating as she searched for the Doctor, but now it was a reality. They _were _sinking. It was only a matter of time. Time which she didn't really have. Each level down led her to another largely empty hallway, filled with locked rooms and no sign of the Doctor. She couldn't be certain, but she didn't think she had passed him, something was compelling her to continue her search further down. Because, of course, the Doctor _would_ find himself in the bowels of a ship just when he needed to be getting _out_ of it. He just attracted that kind of trouble. Sometimes she wondered if he didn't specifically seek it out.

But she stopped herself halfway down the stairs when she realized that the carpet down here was already under a few inches of water. She had come across no one in the halls, and she doubted there was anyone down here who still believed the ship would be alright.

"Hello! Don't mind me! I'm just going to sit down here and rot. It'll be just fine. Really, all I want is a cuppa! So if someone could bring that along shortly, that would just be lovely!" His voice echoed up the stairway, confirming what she suspected to be true. He _was_ a madman. And, it seemed, he was also trapped. She took a steadying breath before she was able to step off that last rung, splashing into the icy water below. Her shoes were little protection and her feet started to ache with the cold before she was even two steps from the stairs. She tried to follow where she had last heard the voice and was rewarded with the sharp clanging of metal on metal up ahead.

"I am _so_ having a little chat with the captain just as soon as I get out of this. Course I'll have to jump earlier in his time stream to do it…" He sounded thoughtful. "But don't think I won't!"

She finally found a half open door, the black word 'Brig' stenciled onto it. She pushed it open, ready to scathe the Doctor with numerous accusations, but they all died on her lips when she spotted the body, now nearly floating, on the floor. It was an officer, possibly the one who had brought the Doctor down here, and he was, unquestionably, dead.

"Finally!" The Doctor said, exasperated. "I've only been hollering for-" He stopped and she was able to tear her gaze away from the dead man between herself and the set of small cells at the back of the room. The Doctor, locked in one of them, had his hands gripping the bars and was looking in her direction. Whatever relief he had felt was suddenly torn from his face. "I told _you_ to get on a life boat!" He actually looked annoyed.

"The ship is sinking." She said absently, still able to see the body bobbing out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes. Thank you. Very much aware. You know, a giant iceberg _will_ do that. I've heard." He said in a huff. "Which is exactly why it's important for you to be up on the deck, getting _off_ the sinking ship."

"What happened to him?" She knelt next to the man, but didn't touch him. His skin was incredibly pale and his eyes stared lifelessly into nothing.

"Well, he met a rather unfortunate end with a Garoth." He had the decency to sound apologetic. "Still, _not_ the point. Why aren't you leaving?"

"You said you were coming back." She stood again, shooting him an accusing glare.

"Yes, well. There were _complications_. As you can see." He shook the barred door irritably. "Which wouldn't be a problem if I could reach the keys, or if I hadn't misplaced my-" He stopped mid sentence and a grin spread across his face. "Oh, right. In my jacket. You're brilliant." He pointed to her through the bars.

"Excuse me?" Calypso was thrown by his sudden change in demeanor. She had been preparing herself to listen to another one of his lectures about why she should be safe and he shouldn't be. She nearly had it memorized by now.

"The sonic screwdriver. I left it in my jacket pocket. The one you're wearing."

"Oh," She stuffed her hand into the jacket, finding the heavy metal tool waiting for her. She pulled it out and, careful to step around the body, handed it to the Doctor.

"Excellent." He said as the sonic whined and the door popped unlocked and drifted open with little resistance from the rising waters.

"What were you doing down here anyway?" She asked him as he took her hand, leading her from the room.

"Really? Is now the time?" He asked, nodding to the water at their feet, she hadn't realized it was already rising above her ankles now, soaking into her dress and weighing her down as they sloshed through the hallway together. There was now a current dragging at their feet, a signal that the water was rushing in, when it had only been trickling before. She tried her best not to think about it.

"Yes, because we're always running. And you never answer my questions when we're running."

"Oh, alright." He muttered, he seemed to be familiar with the halls, as she was already confused as to which way she had come from. "I was…helping an old friend. There wasn't really time to explain before, and well, there isn't really time _now _either. What, with the _sinking_ and all." He shot her a glance. "So if you could just focus-"

"You weren't going to follow me on the life boats, were you?" She eyed him calculatingly. Her skirts really were slowing her down, but if he thought she was resisting to be stubborn, well, she wasn't going to correct him. She _did_ deserve an explanation.

"Well," He paused and looked back at her guiltily. "No. Not precisely. But, yes. Sort of. I thought if I could get down to the TARDIS-"

"The TARDIS is here? Why would you send me to the boats? You know there isn't enough space for everyone?"

"You seemed to be making a life for yourself here, I didn't want to _ruin_ that. If you _let_ the lifeboat take you to safety, you would also be fine. And who knows, I might even be able to track you down again. But if I took you with me," He shook his head. "Well, then I've lost you again. Who knows for how long." His voice was sad when he admitted that last part. She realized that although she was angry that he had lied to her, _again_. She couldn't exactly fault his reasoning.

"Alright," She said conceding his point, but she gasped as the water rushed up past her knees, causing her skirts to billow out in a murky pattern. "I think I've left that option a bit too late." Her legs prickled painfully as the water inched higher and higher, her ankles now felt like sharp little knives were digging their way into her flesh and she couldn't really feel her feet they were so numb.

"Yes, I think we have." The Doctor said with a grim look. "Might as well find the old girl now. Won't do to have you freeze to death." They continued to follow through the ships labyrinth of halls, each step seeming to take them into deeper waters.

"So who were you trying to help?" She asked in an effort to distract herself from her chattering teeth. Even though the water hadn't quite reached her waist, it had soaked up into her dress, which was now clinging chillingly to her skin.

"Oh, you know. Basically. Me." He gave her a lopsided grin.

"I'm sorry?"

"Well. It's a bit complicated. It's just that I've been here before. I was hunting the Garoth, not _me_ me. Myself from the past, when I was here before." Calypso _thought_ she had understood that. "And last time, I bloody well chased the stupid thing into the ocean, where it _drowned_ and I spent six hours swimming in the Atlantic waiting to get picked up, freezing my bits off." She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, my…fingers, toes. You know." He clarified, looking slightly awkward. "Anyway, wasn't the most pleasant swim I've ever had. Then again, it wasn't the worst either…" He trailed off. "Anyway. Thought if I went ahead and snagged the bugger myself, I could skip the whole 'bits' part."

"Isn't that cheating?" She asked with a frown.

"Well, yes. But this is very low on the cheating pole. Like having some frosting off the cake before anyone's actually served it. Smudge it all back together and it's good as new, no one's the wiser." He smiled but she was looking a bit bewildered. "Yes, anyway. It's not a _fixed_ point. Well, the Titanic is, but not the part where I'm floating in the ocean for an indeterminate amount of time. Doesn't matter anyway since I've _lost_ the Garoth." He paused at the crossroads between two halls and for a moment looked perplexed, but then they were pushing forward again and she had to hope that he knew where he was going.

"What's a Garoth?" Everything was starting to hurt, at least the parts that hadn't already lost all feeling. If the Doctor noticed the chill of the ocean water, he didn't mention it. She realized that if she had to endure six hours of _this_ she'd probably be dead. A sharp reminder that he was _not_ as human as he appeared.

"Oh, basically harmless. Just about extinct. Descendants of the Yssgaroth. They were these great huge winged snakes that-" His voice stopped as he looked over his shoulder and saw the look of horror etched onto her face. She was trying very hard _not_ to think about a winged snake slithering up next to her in the chilly water. But now every swirl of her dress seemed to remind her that it was possible. "I mean, they're not any more. They're just vampires really, blood drinkers." He shrugged.

"Oh good." She said weakly. "You had me worried for a moment there." She wasn't really in a joking kind of mood, but if she didn't, she was pretty sure she would start to get hysterical.

"It's alright." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Well get back to the TARDIS here shortly. It'll be just fine." She nodded her head and let him continue to lead them on. He came to a stop outside of a locked crew door and he jiggled the handle.

"Well that's not good." He let go and pressed his hands against the wood of the door, listening carefully with his ear. "Oh." He said thoughtfully. "That is _extremely_ very not good."

"What is it?" Calypso asked as he took a step back, staring up at the door nervously. She watched the door and realized that near the top seams, it looked like it was leaking.

"Back!" He said, pushing her the way they had come. "We have to get back!" He was shouting and half dragging her as they did their best to run through the water. A second later she heard the wood door groan and then shatter under the pressure. Before she could look back, a wave of frigid water struck her from behind and sent her hurtling forward. Her body exploded in pain as the cold sent sharp needles up and down her body. She held his hand as tightly as he could, but the water swirled and cut off her air, spinning her in awkward directions. And with a garbled cry, her fingers slipped from his, and she lost the Doctor.


	26. The Titanic Part 3

**A/N: A bit short, but I expect to have the next one up within the next 24 hours. They just didn't really fit together. Don't look at me like that! Oh, and PS. Let me know if a certain someone sounded right.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>-1912-<strong>

**- The Titanic -**

* * *

><p>Calypso tried to swim to the surface but her arms and legs tangled up in the dress and the jacket, spinning her down the hallway, heedless to her need to breathe. Her hands slipped against the walls uselessly, and it was too deep now for her to try to find her footing. As her lungs started to burn she could taste the brackish water pouring in through her mouth and nose, another moment and she'd be forced to swallow it.<p>

Firm hands plucked her from the current of the hallway and set her against the wall. Her feet scrabbled to get under her and she grabbed at the banister to steady herself. She coughed and gasped once she was finally righted, heaving in a deep lungful of air while her chest rattled, trying to clear its passages. She thought she was going to be sick as she pressed her forehead against the wall. She didn't even have the energy to push back the hair that had plastered across her face. She could see and she was shivering to death. That's all she knew right then. The current was weaker here, finally opening her eyes she realized that they had entered one of the rooms, blocking the worst of the wave of water that had just thrown her down.

"Just thought you'd hop down for a quick swim?" A snide voice commented from behind her. "Is the temperature to the ladies liking?"

"I'm _sorry_?" She turned around, fully expecting to see the Doctor, it certainly didn't _sound_ like him, but it had to be. Who else could be down here? But it _wasn't_ the Doctor. He was some annoyed looking man with big ears, and a heavy black jacket over his equally dark shirt and pants.

"This jacket is _ruined_ you know. Leather doesn't take to sea water very well." He glared at her as he brushed at his sleeves like that would help anything. He didn't look like a crew member, but he didn't dress like any passengers either. "What kind of _stupid_ ape comes down to third class when the ship is bloody sinking anyway?" He looked up at her as though he fully expected an answer.

"M-my friend is down here." She mumbled, her lips shaking as she did so. Where _was_ the Doctor? "Have you seen him?"

"Oh of course. It's about a man, is it? Always is, with you lot." He threw his hands at her disgustedly. "Well, kiss your boyfriend goodbye, love. You can follow me up on deck, or you can stay here and drown. Either way, no skin off my back." He said as he started to climb the small stairway in the corner of the room. "Well? Are you coming?" He seemed to expect her answer was yes, despite his insistence that he didn't care. She started to push the hair away from her face, so she could glare at him properly.

"Ah! There you are!" The Doctor suddenly appeared in the doorway, looking as equally disheveled as she was.

"Oh sure. The prodigal boyfriend returns." The man in the jacket shot a scornful look at them both and started to clap. But he stopped when the Doctor slicked his hair back over his head, the smirk dissipating slowly. The Doctor's eyes scanned between the stranger and Calypso before he stepped forward, blocking Calypso's view of the man. For the first time, he seemed at a loss of something unpleasant to say.

"Hello." The Doctor said as though he recognized him, he gripped Calypso's hand in his own and she was grateful for what little warmth it provided. She huddled closer to the Doctor's back, partially so she could peek out at the man on the stairs.

"Well what the _hell_ are you doing here?" The man snorted.

"Oh, you know. Traveling." The Doctor shrugged, not put off in the least by the man's attitude.

"Thought one go round on a sinking ship would be more than enough, don't you?" He had retreated a few steps now, coming closer to the Doctor.

"Yes. But, I thought, what the hell, I'd give it another go around."

The man frowned, and then peered over the Doctor's shoulder, trying to get a look at her. The Doctor shifted slightly, was he hiding her?

"Who is she then?" He nodded to where she was huddling still.

"Something to look forward to." The Doctor said with a cryptic smile. Something in his tone made Calypso herself smile and she wrapped her fingers around his tighter.

"Doesn't look like much." The man snorted his disbelief. If Calypso hadn't been trembling so badly, she might have made an effort to reply in kind.

"Yes, I'm sure you've never been _wrong_ before." The Doctor said mildly. "Don't you have some creature to be catching up with?"

"Alright, alright. I'm getting to it." The man said, waving his hand at the both of them. "Don't get yourself killed, idiot." He said before disappearing up the stairs.

"Excellent." The Doctor turned to her, grinning as though he were on his very last nerve. "We should just have time to make it back to the TARDIS." He was pulling her back into the hallway, down the way they had been unceremoniously thrown down before.

"Who was _that_?" She asked, bewildered. The rapids had calmed some, but they were still fighting the current that was now above her waist.

"Oh," The Doctor shot her a sympathetic look over his shoulder. "You know, _me_." She thought maybe she had misheard him, but she realized it made a weird sort of sense. Still, she never would have believed it had he not told her.

"A bit rude." She commented offhandedly as he brought them back to the crew door, the lights starting to flicker and die around them.

"Oh yes." He agreed. "_Very_."


	27. The Titanic Part 4

**A/N: Okay, slightly _less_ than 24 hours. Don't expect me to be quite that quick for the next update.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>-1912-<strong>

**- The Titanic -**

* * *

><p>The lights had stopped flickering, but the tilt of the ship was so dramatic that they were nearly swimming instead of walking. Exploding in a sharp pop, the lamps all finally died with a crushing sense of finality.<p>

"Doctor?" She whispered, the ship creaked and groaned, threatening to come crashing down around them. The darkness seemed to make that all the more real.

"It's alright," He pulled the sonic out and its weak green light illuminated the hallway around them, reflecting off of the surface of the water that was now above her waist. "We're nearly there, it should just be-" His voice suddenly stopped as though he were distracted. Calypso heard it too, something was _hissing_.

"_How nice. A meal come right to me. Perhaps I shall survive the swim after all."_ Its voice was oily and dangerous. If she hadn't already been shivering from the cold, she knew the sound of it would have caused her to tremble. The Doctor's grip on her hand tightened and pulled her closer behind him. She could just see it, a little further down the hall. The creature lurked a little past the circle of light, but she could see unsettling details about it. Its skin was waxy and, despite the green lighting, far too pale looking to be alive. Dark eyes were slitted like a cats and as it smiled at them, she could see long thin fangs protruding from its mouth.

"You shouldn't be here." The Doctor warned the creature, holding the sonic out further in an effort to illuminate the shadows where it was lurking. It _almost_ looked human, but only in the darkness. She had no doubt if she had seen it in the full light, she would recognize it as a creature from another world. The Garoth.

"_Nor should you, I imagine. What a happy accident_." The creature didn't seem to have very solid footing as it approached, but it kept its hand sliding against the wall as it glided toward them in the water.

"I should warn you," The Doctor said in a stern voice. "You can let us pass and go on your way. _Or_ you can suffer the consequences."

"_You can't hurt me with your little wand_." It hissed as it drew near, its face splitting into an even wider grin. Calypso realized that not only did he have fangs, but each of his teeth were dangerously pointed, teeth meant for tearing. He approached slowly, whether he was worried about the Doctor's threats, or he was still struggling to push through the water, she wasn't sure.

"Do you trust me?" The Doctor had turned to her and it took her a moment to realize he was asking.

"Of c-course." She nodded firmly, hoping her trembling voice didn't make her less believable. He smiled and stooped down to press his lips against her forehead. She couldn't understand how he was still so warm when she was feeling rather a lot like the iceberg they had run into.

"Then hold on tightly." He murmured, releasing her hand at his waist. "_Don't_ let go." He said once before turning his attention back to the Garoth. She wrapped both her arms around him firmly and he reached up, grabbing a pipe that ran parallel across the ceiling.

"I'm giving you one last chance." He called out. "If I were you, I'd _take_ it."

"_You don't scare me puny human_." The creature hissed again and raised its arms out of the water, hunching as though it were readying itself to pounce.

"I'm not _human_." He said mildly. "I'm the Doctor. And I'm afraid you're about to have a rather _un_happy accident." He pointed the sonic at a nearby door in the wall, it whined shrilly before crashing open, the weight of the water slamming the metal door wide and a churning river now tore through the narrow gap.

"_No-!_" The creature had the time to shriek as its legs were pulled out from under him, throwing him headfirst toward the door. Calypso felt the current pulling at her feet but she held tightly to the Doctor who was anchored firmly to the ceiling.

"Alright!" The Doctor had to shout now over the roaring of the water. "This is the difficult part!" He started to take slow deliberate steps toward the vortex in the hall. She didn't understand until the sonic illuminated the down where the creature had disappeared. The TARDIS was just inside the door, their safe haven so easy to reach if the walkway before it hadn't turned to a raging river.

She took a deep breath and did her best not to squeeze her eyes shut. The Doctor moved forward, each step closer she could feel the strength of the water fighting against her, pulling at her skirts and trying to throw her down the hallway like a rag doll. The pressure against her at the doorway was so great she couldn't breathe any more. With a tremendous crash she heard the ship tearing apart around them.

"Jump!" The Doctor shouted as he threw them both forward into the TARDIS' now open door. Water poured in around them as they collapsed to the floor and they both spun around to shut the door behind them. Calypso dug her heels into the ground and pressed her back against the wood frame while the Doctor pushed his fists against it, his face a mask of determination. The door, likely with the help of the TARDIS herself, finally latched shut and the roaring of the water and the crunch of metal and wood bursting was suddenly silenced. The quiet, broken only by their gasping breath, was quite a shock.

Calypso closed her eyes and leaned her head against the door, the water that had followed them in had already vanished. How it had been managed, she had no idea, but she couldn't be bothered to think about it too carefully. She opened her eyes and was rewarded with icy water dripping down on her from the Doctor's chin. He was leaning over her, hands still pressed against the door as though he were afraid it might suddenly pop open again. He looked as equally exhausted by the effort as she felt.

"I th-think you got a bit w-wet." She said with a weary smile as more water dripped from his nose.

"Yeah," He said with a grin, running a hand over his face. "I think you might be onto something there." He let his arms drop to her neck. She realized now, just how close they both were. And his hands were _so_ warm against her skin. She pressed her face against his wrist, trying to shake the cold that seemed to have settled itself deeply in her bones.

"Blimey," He said, shocked. "Calypso, you're _freezing_."

"You're warm." She mumbled almost coherently.

"Yes, I tend to run a bit hot. Two hearts and all." He muttered as he pulled the jacket from her shoulders. "I'm sorry, but we're going to need to get you out of this, you're soaked to the bone." He said as he loosened the life jacket. She was having a hard time moving her limbs to cooperate. He hesitated only a moment before finding the clasps on the back of her dress. "Sorry." He apologized again as he peeled it away from her. She knew she should be feeling somewhat embarrassed, but it was difficult when she didn't have any sensation in her hands or feet and he was moving so quickly and efficiently. She had enough mind left that she was grateful he had left her her slip, though it wasn't doing much to save her dignity as it was stuck tight against her skin.

"Here we are." He had turned to walk away and returned shortly with a scratchy thick blanket. He draped it over her shoulders but rubbed his hands against her skin vigorously to get her blood pumping. Despite his own wet clothing, he still seemed to radiate heat and she buried her face in his chest as he shook her. "Think warm thoughts," He told her as his hands continued to massage her arms. "A warm tropical beach. The Sahara desert. The volcanic moon of Reu." The cold ache in her limbs slowly started to fade as he held her and the violent trembling that had been shaking her whole body finally trailed away. Feeling returned to her limbs shortly after, and with that awareness, she realized just how tightly she was pressed against the Doctor. She felt too embarrassed to push away, but then, she didn't _want_ to either. Instead, she turned her head up toward the Doctor, a tight smile on her lips.

"Thank you." She sighed, for a while she had started to doubt that she would ever feel warm again.

"Don't mention it." He smirked. "Are you alright?" He asked quite seriously. It was difficult for her not to get distracted when he looked down at her with those eyes that were seemingly ageless.

"Yes. Much better." She swallowed, he had stopped rubbing his hands against her skin, perhaps suddenly aware of her closeness himself. But he didn't let her go either, instead his hands rested against her arms, burning embers against her still chilled flesh. Her heart pounded as she wondered what they might feel like against her back, or around her waist. She flushed under his gaze and he cleared his throat.

"Perhaps we should find you…something to wear." He said with a strained smile. Perhaps he was right. But instead of answering him, she felt her arm rising up and gripping the back of his neck, pulling his face down to her own. If he had any misgivings, she didn't notice them. His lips were warm and as eager as her own as she locked onto them. She reveled in the sensation of her cold mouth melting under his gentle and very _persistent_ protrusions. Her whole body flushed with warmth as she lost herself in the moment, her grip tightening against his neck like she was afraid to let go. She shivered as his hand trailed down her arms and to her side, his thumb delicately tracing along her stomach through the fabric of her shift.

She pushed back, her lips red and puffy. The Doctor looked at her, bewildered and looking a little unkempt himself. She hadn't remembered running her hands through his damp hair, but it was sticking out in several directions now.

"Perhaps, you…should get out of your wet clothes as well." She suggested breathlessly. "You _might_ get hypothermia."

"It's alright, time lords don't-" He frowned. shaking his head. But suddenly something clicked in his mind and his eyes widened slightly.

"Oh. _Right. _Yes. Because of…hypothermia…" He nodded very seriously then, though there was a grin spreading across his face. "You know, I think I've got just the place. You know. To stay _warm_." Calypso grinned as he scooped her legs out from under her. "You'll love it." He said resolutely as he started to carry her from the control room.

"How do you know?" She was suddenly feeling extremely bold, and excited. And _happy_.

"Well, you seemed like you approved _last_ time." He gave her a wicked grin and she felt herself shiver in his arms.

"I don't mean to ruin the mood." She said, biting her lip as she looked over his shoulder to the door of the TARDIS. "But, aren't we still sinking?" She hated the idea of ruining this moment for them both, but she hated the thought of the TARDIS being crushed in the wreckage even more, perhaps never giving her a chance to learn what he meant by 'last time'.

"Madam." He said very seriously. "The combined forces of Genghis Khan couldn't get through that door." He stooped toward her and kissed her deeply. Erasing any thought of what might be happening beyond the blue doors. "I think she can handle a little water. We'll be fine. And _you_ aren't going anywhere. Now," He paused, thoughtful, as though he had been distracted. "Where were we? Ah. Yes. Headed some place _warm_." He waggled his eyebrows at her and she didn't quite stifle a giggle as he carried her deeper into the ship.


	28. Farringham

**A/N: Another foray into completely ripping an episode to pieces! Huzzah!**

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><p><strong>-1913 -<br>**

**- Farringham -  
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><p>The pub was warm, and overly crowded. Calypso wasn't really in the mood for it, but she had promised herself she was going to get out once in a while. Thing weren't going as well as she had hoped, and she was pretty certain the next time someone 'accidentally' bumped into her, she was going to scream. Or slap them. She was really only irritable because Colin, their regular errand boy at the supply shop in town, had broken his arm. Doing what, she really had no idea, but he was gone for a week, and that meant that all the deliveries still had to go out. It didn't seem to matter to Mr. Finley that she was supposed to be the accountant, or that she was a woman. Mr. Finley was the old and frail kind of man who didn't concern himself with such things.<p>

So today had been the first day that she had loaded up the truck, with help at the store, and then delivered them to a few houses around town. Her luck with getting them unloaded had varied, but by the end of the day she had been winded, and generally annoyed with all the tut tutting she had to listen to. Tomorrow she was going to have to deliver to the school, which would be two separate deliveries on its own, in addition to the church. If there had ever been a time she had considered _trying_ to jump forward, this was it. But it was only a week. She had endured much worse, she was just a bit out of sorts today.

And then she received another nudge from behind. She spun on her attacker, elbow at the ready. She was rewarded with the sharp pain of striking a mug full of beer.

"Listen, I've had just about enough-" Her words slowly died on her lips as she realized it wasn't another rude man, it was a rather surprised looking woman. "Oh, I'm so sorry." All the annoyance was washed away in a wave of embarrassment. The beer had spilled over her elbow, and some of it had dripped down the woman's skirts.

"Fella's giving you some trouble, love?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A bit." She admitted. "Please, I'm so sorry. Can I get you another?" She asked, pulling out an old handkerchief to brush away at the woman's dress.

"Naw, don't bother. It's just the head. Never much liked the foam anyway." The woman shrugged, offering a grin.

"I really am so sorry. That was terribly rude. I just got a bit…flustered." She finished lamely. It occurred to her now that she really shouldn't have bothered to come down here since she had already been in such a foul mood.

Honestly," The woman insisted. "It's fine. Why don't you order yourself a drink and you can sit with me and my friend? It certainly looks like you could use one."

"Really?" Calypso couldn't help the grin that spread slowly across her lips. She had yet to really make any friends, aside from Mr. Finley, and that wasn't so much friendship, as much as a comfortable working arrangement. That made her more painfully aware that the offer was too good to pass up.

"Sure, just so long as you don't mind the outside." She nodded toward the door.

"I'm sure it'll be better than in here."

"Here, I'll lend you moral support." The woman grinned and helped Calypso push her way to the bar. "I'm Jenny, by the way."

"Calypso. It's nice to meet you." Jenny tipped one of the mugs in her direction by way of greeting and they flagged the barman down. Calypso paid for a pint of ale and they made it outside where she finally felt like she could breathe in the cool night air.

"Here we are," Jenny said as she led her to a small table out the back of the pub. "I've brought company!" She announced to the woman who was already sitting at the table, warming her hands with a small lamp. Calypso smiled as they approached, eager to start off on a better foot than she had with Jenny. "Found her being sassed by the locals, thought she could join us."

"Oh my _god_!" She was standing before Calypso had fully registered that she _knew_ the woman.

"Martha?" The name came to her as Martha rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her.

"Calypso!" She laughed. "Oh, it's wonderful to see you. I was about to go _mad_ on my own!"

"It's…nice to see you too." Calypso was struggling to muster up the same level of enthusiasm as Martha.

"Oh. Sorry." Martha stepped back abruptly, but her smile didn't fade. "I guess, I mean. We've only met the one time. I'm coming on a bit strong aren't I?" She laughed and Calypso was relieved. "Oh, it's just all been a bit weird."

"Is he here?" Calypso did her best not to sound too excited, but the truth was, she _was_ excited to see him again. Even knowing that he would be behind this time.

"Well…he is. Except, he's not…" Martha's face fell into a frown. She looked to where Jenny had sat down and was sipping on her ale, trying her best to not look like she was eavesdropping. "He's had a thing with his memory." Martha said in a hushed tone. "Sort of, replaced it. He's not going to know you. He hardly knows _me_."

"Oh," Calypso struggled to make her voice even as she felt her throat tighten.

"I can't really explain it properly just now." She gave a meaningful glance in Jenny's direction. "But it really is brilliant to see you. Are you living here? You look like you're doing well, better than me anyway." Martha said with a smile, indicating her own dress. "I'm working as a maid up at the school. Me and Jenny both."

"Yes, I'm actually due up there tomorrow. I'm delivering the orders this week. Maybe I'll see you then." Calypso was trying to keep her façade calm as she made small talk, but all she really wanted to know was what had happened to the Doctor.

"You _better_ come see me. Now that I know you're around I'll certainly be coming to see you."

"Martha, what's that?" Jenny asked distractedly. They both turned at her voice but she was staring at the sky, tracking something. Calypso followed her gaze, she thought she might have seen a small blip, but it was gone before she could really be sure. Jenny laughed. "What a funny little thing. Maybe I've had a bit too much already." She indicated her mug as she drank out of it again.

"Did you see? Did you see that light?" A woman came running toward them. She was almost out of breath and pointing back over her shoulder, searching their faces for some sign of confirmation.

"Matron, what's wrong?" Martha was alert, and worried. Calypso felt her own anxiety start to rise.

"There was, it was a green light-" Her voice died as she looked at Calypso, her fear replaced confusion. "Who…?"

"Ladies, is everything alright?" A tall man came striding out of the pub, Calypso was still trying to distinguish what had bothered the woman so thoroughly about herself, but her eyes were on the sky now.

"John! There was a- look! There it is!" Everyone's gaze turned to the sky once again, and this time Calypso saw it. A bright green light streaking across the black.

"Oh, it's beautiful." Jenny murmured and Calypso found herself agreeing.

"Ah, yes. Not to worry. That's just a meteorite. Tiny rocks falling from space. They burn up as they travel through the atmosphere."

She had to look at him then, properly. Because his voice was too familiar, but so strange. Now she saw him clearer in the glow of the lamp. His brown hair was less disheveled than usual, but it was the same. And so were his dark eyes. It was the Doctor. As he lowered his gaze from the sky and caught sight of her, he wore a similar expression to the one the Matron had worn.

"It fell in the woods." The Matron whispered nervously.

"No, no." The Doctor, or John was how she had referred to him, spoke in a reassuring tone. "It looks close, but it's really miles off." His brown eyes were locked on Calypso's again and she shivered. "I'm sorry, have we met before?"

Calypso opened her mouth to respond, but saw Martha furtively shaking her head behind him.

"Um…no. I don't believe we have." She stammered. "I'm Calypso. I work in the village for Mr. Finley."

"How strange…" For a moment it looked like he wasn't going to accept her hand. "You just look very familiar…" He cleared his throat and plastered an easy smile on his face as he took her hand. "Sorry. I'm John, John Smith. I teach at the school." Calypso smiled back, but it was difficult for her to fight off the sinking feeling in her chest.

"She reminds me of someone in one of your stories." The Matron leaned forward, speaking to John.

"Oh…oh! Right." Something occurred to him, but he shook his head again, releasing Calypso's hand. "Strange. Anyway. Matron, I should escort you back to the school. Ladies?" He turned to Martha and Jenny.

"No, we're fine." Martha answered for them both.

"Alright then, I bid you a good evening." He tipped his hat and offered the Matron his arm. He gave Calypso another thoughtful frown before disappearing down the road. Calypso turned to Martha, _needing_ an explanation, but her eyes were on the horizon.

"Jenny, where is that? Where the light disappeared?"

"That's Cooper's field." Jenny shrugged, clearly already having lost interest. "So how do you two know each other?" She asked, but Martha was running down the road, headed for the field.

"You can't just go running off into the dark! You'll break your leg!" Jenny shouted after her, standing from her seat.

"It's alright, I'll go fetch her." Calypso said, snatching the lamp from the table. She had plenty of questions that she needed answered, and it looked like Martha was the only one who knew them.


	29. Farringham Part 2

**- 1913 -**

**- Farringham -**

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><p>Calypso found herself having a hard time not looking too closely at every tall, brown haired man she came across at the school. She knew she was looking for the Doctor, except that it wouldn't be the Doctor. The man she had met last night was John Smith. A man who had a history, and a life. One that didn't include any memory of herself, or of the man she knew as the Doctor.<p>

She reminded herself of that any time she found herself distracted from the task of overseeing the delivery. The kitchen staff had been kind enough to unload the product for her, and apparently had been used to doing so, so that had come as a relief.

But at the same time she dreaded running into him, because she knew that when she saw him, her heart would start to race. But he would feel nothing. He was a stranger again. She remembered how it had felt that first time; before she had even been sure of her feelings. This time she was afraid it would tear her apart to have him look through her like she wasn't even there.

Once the truck was unloaded she knew she had time to find Martha. Mr. Finley had reassured her that she had all day to finish up the delivery, and she shouldn't try and over extend herself by rushing the order. He had even made some passing comment about splitting the deliveries over two days so that she might still make the dance that night. She had to roll her eyes, she wasn't sure she was ever going to get used to other people taking an interest in her marital status. Even if they meant well.

She had to find Martha, because she had promised to better explain what had happened. When she had asked in the field last night, Martha had just shaken her head and told her it wasn't safe to speak out there. She had been spooked by the lights in the sky, why, Calypso couldn't be sure. After some polite questioning from the rest of the staff, she made her way deeper into the school, finding the hall designated as the staff's quarters.

"Ah, there you are!" Martha found Calypso just as she was beginning to doubt she was headed in the right direction. "Come on, I've just finished up the rooms. That'll buy me an hour or two of freedom." She grinned. "I'll take you to the TARDIS." They stopped back through the kitchens and Martha loaded them up with a picnic before leading her down the road west of the school that headed into the woods.

"Is that gunfire?" Calypso looked about nervously as the sharp popping of an automatic rifle echoed off the trees.

"Yeah, bringing the boys up to be good students along with good soldiers. Guess it's better they're getting the training in now, probably keep a few of them alive in the war." Martha said with a sad frown.

"The war?" Calypso felt a sharp chill in the wind at the mention of battle. It was never something she could just take lightly.

"Oh," Martha's face twisted into a guilty look. "Er, right. Sorry. I forget that you're still traveling in the normal…straightforward direction. Just, uh, forget that bit, if you could."

"Alright," Calypso nodded, swallowing back the lump in her throat. "So how long have you been here? At the school?"

"God. Feels like years sometimes." Martha shook her head muttering. "Only been two months though. One more and we'll be free to leave. Can't wait for that. I've had it up to here with my 'yes sir, right away sir'. The things I've got to put up with. It's like we're in the dark ages." Martha scowled, but as they turned down a bend in the path her face lit up. "Here we are then, that'll be the TARDIS." She hurried forward and Calypso followed her lead. At the end of the road was a moss covered shed that was half sunk into the ground.

"That's the TARDIS?" It certainly didn't look like the blue box she remembered.

"Don't be daft, it's inside." Martha pulled her along as she pushed open the rotten door. Inside the air was stale and thick with the smell of damp. But she could feel the TARDIS. It was weaker than when she had last sensed it, but it was definitely there, and in the corner of the room, she could see the blue doors illuminated by the sunlight that filtered through the shed's spotty roof. She stepped forward, glad to see it. Martha too, was excited, a grin fixed on her face.

"Hello." She whispered and then looked at Calypso a bit embarrassedly. "God, listen to me. Talking to a _machine_." She shook her head and pulled the key from around her neck. Calypso pressed her hand firmly against the door, feeling the life of the TARDIS brush up against her in greeting.

_My thief has been gone a long time._ She sounded sad to Calypso, and worn down. _Have you seen him? Is he well?_

_Yes_. Calypso closed her eyes and tried to reassure her. _Though he is not himself_.

_Don't fret my sister. He will return to you_. Calypso felt a flicker of hope come to life in her chest, she realized that already she had been preparing herself for the worst. But if the TARDIS believed it to be true, it must be so. Unless of course, she was capable of lying, trying to delay the inevitable discovery of the Doctor being lost to her forever. She pushed those thoughts away, not wanting the TARDIS to know of her own frightened uncertainty.

"Are you alright?" Martha was watching her with concern, still hanging half out of the door.

"Yes, sorry." Calypso withdrew her hand, suddenly self-conscious of what Martha might think of her brief interlude. "She was worried."

"She?" Martha's concern now turned to skepticism.

"The TARDIS…" She realized that Martha didn't know about her past, or what she was. It probably should have occurred to her before she had admitted that she had spoken with the blue box. "It's complicated." She said apologetically when Martha raised her eyebrows at her.

"Isn't it always?" Martha asked with a smirk. "At least I don't feel like such a loon saying 'hello' anyway." She nodded toward the inside of the ship. "Come on. He's got a video he made."

"Video?" Calypso frowned as she followed Martha to the center console. Martha looked at her for a moment, and then burst out laughing.

"Sorry." She shook her head, trying to recover. "You talk to spaceships, but you don't know about videos. It's just a bit mad. Of course, it always is with the Doctor."

"Usually." Calypso answered with a grin. Martha busied herself with the controls, seeming to understand exactly what all the dials did.

"Well, they're just like moving pictures. You've got those now, right?" Calypso nodded quickly. "Well that's what a video is. Except this one has got sound. And it's of the Doctor." She turned one final switch and a small screen flickered to life before them, projecting an image of the Doctor.

"This working?" He asked as he tapped the side of the screen. "Martha, before I change here's a list of instructions for when I'm human. One, don't let me hurt anyone. We can't have that, but you know what humans are like. Two, don't worry about the TARDIS, I'll put it on emergency power so they can't detect it, just let it hide away. Four- no, wait a minute, three."

Calypso gaped at the picture. It was _him_. The Doctor was speaking to them through the screen. Or at least, he was speaking to Martha. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch the image.

"He recorded this before he changed." Martha explained over her shoulder as she spun a dial and suddenly the Doctor was moving much faster than natural and the words were all distorted. "Because there were these creatures, yeah? Aliens. 'The Family' he called them. Apparently they can live forever if they get a hold of the Doctor, or any time lord, and they were chasing _us_. We had to run, but the Doctor said they'd just find us, said there was no way to escape them because they're such great hunters. But the thing is, they're hunting for a time lord. So the Doctor, well, he changed himself into a human." Her eyes looked up to the ceiling at a helmet like device that hung from a set of cables. "Took the time lord right out of him. It was…pretty unpleasant." Martha shivered once.

"So he's human now?" Calypso couldn't quite hide the disbelief in her voice. She didn't even know such a thing were possible.

"Afraid so." Martha nodded, turning back to the screen. "Just like us." She said absently as she paused the video again. Calypso didn't bother to correct her, she wasn't sure that was a conversation she really wanted to have right then. "Of course he didn't say what to do if I thought they were coming. I mean, that meteorite had to have meant _something_, didn't it?"Martha wasn't waiting for Calypso to answer, instead she was busy watching the video, hoping to see she had missed something in the recording.

"So are his memories completely gone?" Calypso prepared herself for the answer she didn't want to hear. She stepped away from the console and her eyes drifted away from the screen, away from the haunting image of the Doctor. As she leaned against the railing she felt the familiar cloth of the long brown jacket behind her.

"No, no. He'll be fine." Martha said over her shoulder. "They're just trapped in a fob watch in his rooms. As soon as we're out of this mess he'll be able to get it all back." Calypso breathed a quick sigh of relief, at least there was a light at the end of the tunnel. He may not know her now, but he would, eventually. If he managed to stay out of trouble, that was. She found herself searching his pocket for the necklace, wondering how far along he might be if he was still with Martha. She found it quickly enough, in fact, it was the first and only thing she found, which surprised her. When she pulled it out she saw there were five pearls on the strand, she knew her own had eleven, because she had added another last night. Though she wondered if this truly counted as a meeting, as he didn't know her at all.

"What have you got there?" Martha interrupted her thoughts and she startled as she realized that what she was doing could most definitely be considered snooping.

"Oh, sorry." She thought about stuffing it back into his pocket, but knew that would only look more suspicious. "It's just, me and the Doctor, we meet in the wrong order, so it's hard to keep track of how many times we've met. We've both got a necklace, I was just wondering how many this would have been for him." She did tuck the necklace away then, and pulled her own from beneath her collar so that Martha could see she wasn't just fabricating an excuse. "I guess I don't know if he'll really count this meeting, since he doesn't even know me." The sadness in her voice caught her by surprise.

"Oh, it'll be fine." Martha's smile seemed a bit strained. "He'll come around, just another month to go before we can get back to traveling. Are you two…good friends then?" She asked delicately, recognizing the substantial number of beads on Calypso's own necklace.

"Yes." She smiled, but didn't elaborate further.

"Well that's…nice." Martha tried to be polite. "Do you travel with him often? In the TARDIS?"

"No," Calypso shook her head and tried to ignore the slightly pleased look on Martha's face. "I can't."

"Can't? Why not? It's bloody brilliant. Oh, the things you see out there…" Martha shook her head wistfully, and then abruptly remembered that she was stuck in this world a little longer.

"It's complicated." Calypso reiterated, her voice a harsh whisper.

"Oh. Sorry." Martha looked like she truly meant it. She turned her attention back to the screen when she could come up with nothing else to say.

"Oh…and thank you." The Doctor said, giving a warm smile. Martha's shoulders sank.

"I wish he'd come back." She said so softly Calypso wasn't sure if she was meant to hear. She had to admit they were in agreement on that point. "Anyway." Martha said more loudly as she powered off the screen and turned back to Calypso. "That's the gist of it I suppose. Playing hide and seek with aliens bent on destroying us, and the universe." She shrugged. "It's a living." Calypso grinned, knowing exactly how absurd the Doctor's life seemed in retrospect.

"He does seem to have a real knack for getting himself into serious trouble."

"That's the understatement of the century." Martha snorted and opened up the bag she had stuffed their lunch into. "Let's grab a bite then, I'm starving."

They made conversation about their own travels with the Doctor, and Calypso found herself impressed by the astounding number of places Martha had traveled to, even if they didn't always seem like they had ended as well as they could. Martha seemed to want to talk about the travels simply to remind herself that she wouldn't always be serving as the lowly maid that she was now. Calypso was happy to let her continue, listening to tales of other worlds and creatures that existed far beyond the borders of this planet. As the meal dwindled and the hour passed, they finally started to clean up. Martha had chores to stay on top of, and Calypso still had to make another run to the school, one she wasn't really looking forward to.

"Why don't I show you the fob watch." Martha said as they neared the school again, the guns no longer firing. "Just in case. I really didn't like that meteorite, whatever it was. Things falling from the sky generally spell trouble. And where there's trouble, there's usually the Doctor." They both shared a laugh at that and Martha led her up to the rooms where the faculty resided, a much posher area than those of the staff. She felt her heart starting to drum loudly, but Martha reassured her that John would be out for the afternoon, probably down in the village. Calypso wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

"All he's got to do," Martha's voice was lower as they approached the room, wary of passer-byers hearing their conversation. "Is open the watch. It's protected so he doesn't pay much attention to it right now. And we don't want him to open it unless it's absolutely necessary, because they'll be able to find him then." Calypso nodded her understanding as Martha pushed open the door. They were nearly halfway in the room when they realized that they were not alone.

John was sitting on the couch, with Matron Redfern next to him. The Matron's face flushed a bright pink and it became quite obvious that they had interrupted something.

"Martha," John's voice was sharp with contained anger. "What have I told you about entering unannounced?" He didn't even look over his shoulder at them, but his posture was like an animal ready to pounce.

"Sorry." Martha blurted, spinning on her foot. They both stumbled out of the room and Martha slammed the door shut behind them. She gritted her teeth as she shook her head, looking more angry than flustered.

"Well, that certainly wasn't on the list." Martha's voice had a shrill quality to it as she met Calypso's gaze.

"I have to go." Calypso whispered, feeling the tears prick at the corner of her eyes. There was a heavy weight in the pit of her stomach and she was struggling to breathe. She turned and fled down the hall, trying to erase the image of the pair of them so intimately close on that couch. Trying to erase the thought that her Doctor had fallen in love with someone else.


	30. Farringham Part 3

**A/N: Delays delays. I know. But now for more fascinating and exciting news! I've started a story with Sarbrook! And you should totally read it! Because it's going to be awesome! **fanfiction dot net / s/8159937/1/The_Hollow_Man (Sans the spaces. Which I forgot the first time I put this chapter up.)**  
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><p><strong>- 1913 -<strong>

**- Farringham -**

It didn't really matter.

At least that was what she was repeating to herself over and over again as she descended the stairs. She couldn't bear to look back, didn't want Martha to see the anguish that was threatening to tear her apart. She didn't think she'd be able to explain why she was so upset about what she had seen. It wasn't that she didn't trust Martha to keep her secrets, but well, she didn't really _know_ Martha.

Calypso also had the sneaking suspicion that she had seen something similar to her own pain on Martha's face. That was _really_ something she didn't want to think about. She didn't need to be consumed with jealousy along with her misery.

She wished Donna were here, she would know what to say. She wished she knew when or even if she were even going to see Donna again.

But she wasn't here now, so she did her best to convince herself on her own. John Smith wasn't the Doctor. Not any more than Jackson Lake had been the Doctor. Whatever he did with his time shouldn't bother her in the least.

Of course, it did.

It wasn't just that he was human, it was that he had forgotten her. Somehow that cut even deeper. Maybe she would have felt differently if it had been the Doctor who had _chosen_ to move on, to leave her behind. Maybe not. It was difficult to think about anything practically right now.

It wasn't as though she had expected him to be exclusive with her. She certainly hadn't been exclusive to him. Though she had been more recently, and she was a bit unnerved to find that she hadn't really made a decision one way or another, she had just found herself gravitating away from the affectionate company of men. But that was the trouble with a life like hers, or the Doctor's. They were always moving in the wrong direction, always _moving_. Sometimes they knew each other very well, and sometimes they were strangers. She could hardly expect him to only have eyes for her every time they met.

Still, the image of him sitting cozy with that woman on the couch made her chest convulse. Calypso was finding it hard to breath in the stuffy building, surrounded by so many bodies as the students filed through the hallways. When she reached the kitchens, she had already come to the conclusion that the truck wouldn't be a proper escape. In the truck she would be hidden, confined, she could let her guard down there because she would feel protected. But the pain would become too real if she was alone, it would overwhelm her.

She needed to get outside. She was desperate for open space, fresh air. She had to see the sky. If she could just calm her breathing, everything would be alright. If she could just reach the yard without breaking down, she could push back all the demons that threatened to tear her down. She had to. Because if she lost it now, while she was so alone, she wasn't sure she was going to be able to stop.

There were few in the kitchen to give her pause as she rushed past them, but she didn't stop to explain. She could already feel her nerves fraying, the stuffy air was choking her. She took the last few paces at a jog, bursting out of the door and down the path until her feet reached the grassy yard. She gasped in the cool afternoon air, her chest rising with the effort. It hurt, but it was a physical kind of pain, one she could control. There was nothing dangerous in that pain.

She pointed her face up to the sky, closing her eyes so that the yellow of the sun was instead red against her lids. It warmed her and slowly eased the tightness of her muscles, and most noticeably, her throat. She ran her fingers through her hair and just focused on breathing.

She thought of the Doctor, and how much she missed him. He was so tantalizingly close, and yet more distant than he had ever been. More impossible to reach. It was made all the more obvious because she was certain now that she loved him. That was why she had slowly been alienating all of her would-be suitors, that was why her heart raced when she thought she caught a glimpse of the strange or unusual.

She remembered the first time she had met him, and how he had taken her hand and they had run. She remembered his inappropriately timed advances, and his sheepish apologies afterward. She remembered Christmas, when she thought she had lost him forever, and then thought she deserved to lose him. The picnic in the gardens. His silly grin. The Titanic.

She took one last breath and felt calm again.

He loved her. She knew that.

She finally opened her eyes, the urge to let her misery consume her had blown away like a frail leaf. She was going to be alright. They had a future. That was what she needed to remember. They had a future and she was a part of it.

Of course, she was in no hurry to meet with the Matron woman again, or really, to see John. But still she would be alright. She lowered her hands from her head and smiled, dusting her skirts consciously, knowing she had looked quite mad running out into the field as she had.

It was only a moment later that she realized she was not alone. One of the students stood nearby, watching her with a peculiar look on his face.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just a bit out of sorts." She said with a short laugh, feeling a little embarrassed now that she knew she had certainly had an audience. But he didn't laugh with her, instead, he took several stiff steps toward her, and sniffed the air deeply. A smirk twisted at the corner of his lips but it seemed unnatural, as though he were a puppet with his strings being pulled.

"Hello hello." He said, his head tilting to the side. "Fine day. Yes, fine indeed. Are you from here? There is something about you that is so…" he trailed off, sniffing the air again. "_familiar_."

"No," Calypso took a step back, realizing that she had shivered. His tone was hollow, and there was something inexplicably uncomfortable about the way this young man looked. Something that frightened her. "I really must be going-"

His hand shot out and snatched her wrist faster than she could cry out.

"No. Oh no. I don't think that's a good idea at all. Stay where you are, shall you? There's a good girl." His voice had a sinister edge to it and Calypso searched the grounds, hoping there was someone else nearby. "I've some friends who are so interested in meeting you." She felt quite certain that she didn't want to meet any friends if his, now, or ever.

Part of her felt silly for being so threatened by him, he was hardly more than a boy, and he couldn't have been older than sixteen. He wasn't seizable enough to be very dangerous looking either, but then she hadn't been able to shake his iron grip from her arm.

"Excuse me." She tried to more forcefully yank her hand away, her own alarm starting to seep into her voice.

"No, mustn't stray. That won't do at all." He twisted her arm awkwardly which sent a shooting pain up her shoulder. She gasped and stared up at his eyes, they were dark and intense, and very focused on her. His smile, strange at first, now looked more menacing than ever.

But suddenly, his head snapped to the side, searching the school grounds. Something had caught his attention and he breathed in deeply. He was distracted enough that with a final jerk, she was able to pull free. She glanced over her shoulder as she stumbled away, trying to see if he would follow, but he didn't. Whatever it was, it had ensnared his attention fully. She watched as he strode off in the direction he had spun, moving with purpose and not once sparing her another look.

She took a moment to pity whoever else might come across his path and then ran, back into the kitchens and into the truck. Calypso didn't know what to make of his strange behavior, but she was hardly going to hang around and try to find out. She drove back to the village, perhaps a little unsafely. And for the first time that day, the Doctor was completely absent from her thoughts.

The door shook violently with a frantic pounding. Calypso jumped in her seat, scattering the papers to the floor. She had still been jittery after the incident that afternoon.

_Just a schoolboy prank_. She had told herself firmly, but it was hard to convince herself of that. She only just started to calm her nerves about what had happened when the knocking at the door had scared her half to death.

"Calypso!" It was a woman's voice outside, a familiar one. Martha. She sounded frantic. "Calypso, are you in there? God, I hope you are." She added more quietly. Calypso left the papers where they lay and crossed the small storefront to the entrance that had been locked for the night. Martha was clearly outline in the window, her hands pressed against the door. "Oh thank god." She said, a hesitant smile coming to her lips as Calypso went to unbolt the door.

"What's wrong?" She asked as she opened it, Martha didn't bother to come inside, instead she was trying to drag Calypso out. She was breathing heavy and her eyes were wide, it was obvious she was upset.

"The Family, they've found us. I don't know how," she shook her head, the strain on her face evident. "They took Jenny." Martha's voice trembled as she admitted that. "They've done something to her…she's not herself. And I can't find the watch either, I went to tell the Doctor, but well…I need your help. He's not listening to me."

Calypso felt a hollowness in the pit of her stomach. If the Family were here, they were all in danger. And if they couldn't find the watch…

Well, they had better find the watch.

"Where is he?"

"At the dance. We've got to find that watch." Martha said and Calypso realized that she was just barely holding it together.

"Alright," she nodded once, pushing away the thoughts of _why_ he might be at the dance. "I have to lock up the office, but make sure he stays out of trouble. I'll be right behind you."

"Sounds like a plan, don't take too long though. I've already slapped him once today, and I've half a mind to do it again." Her smile had an edge to it as she disappeared down the street. Calypso returned to the office and stuffed all the papers into the safe, making sure it was locked. It would be a mess, and Mr. Finley would shout at her tomorrow, but there wasn't really time to worry about that now.

It was easy enough to find her way to the dance, there was only one hall large enough, and the banners had been up all month.

But now it was made more obvious when she could hear the screaming.

She started to run, now more alert of every shadow in the night. She rounded the corner and at last came within sight of it. People were streaming out into the street, running through the doors and stealing glances over their shoulder as if they were afraid of being pursued. As people scattered past her she tried to call out to them.

"What's going on?" But no one would stop to answer her question, some shouted responses, but they were impossibly to discern above all the screaming. She reached the gates and found herself jostled and bounced back as more people plugged the entrance, fleeing from the dance hall.

"Martha!" She cried out, searching the faces for someone familiar, but she couldn't see any sign of her or the Doctor.

"Calypso! You have to get out of here!" She suddenly recognized Colin at her shoulder, urging her to follow the direction of the crowd. His arm was still in a sling from his injury, but she found it was interesting that he had been well enough to attend the dance. She filed that away to be annoyed about later.

"What's going on?" She grabbed his good arm, pulling him to the side and forcing him to stop.

"Bad people," He shook his head, he was shockingly pale and visibly shaken by whatever had happened. "They've killed folk. We've got to get out of here!" He pushed her forward again but she stepped away.

"I can't, I've got a friend inside."

"Callie, you should run." He said very seriously, he hesitated another moment before bolting himself. She doubted Colin was very extraordinarily brave, but he certainly wasn't a coward. Whatever was going on was likely to be bad. Very bad. And Martha was tied up in it. Her skin felt clammy as she turned back to face the door, the majority of people had fled and she would be able to run into the hall. There were no more screams coming from inside, that did nothing to reassure her.

She took a few hesitant steps forward, willing herself to be brave. And then Matron Redfern was running out the door, followed closely by the Doctor.

Except it most certainly wasn't the Doctor, because he was looking _terrified_. She had never seen the Doctor afraid, but this man _was_. John and Matron both nearly ran her over as they were making their escape, the Matron giving a small yip as she realized Calypso was standing in their path.

"Whatever you do, don't go inside." John was warning her seriously. "They have some kind of weapon…" He shook his head, confused. "I don't know what it is." He looked at her carefully and there was that same tinge of recognition in his eyes. Likely from the dreams Martha had told her about, fragments of a forgotten life.

"Where's Martha?" She asked when it became apparent that no one else was coming from the door behind them.

"She-" His face clouded over and there was guilt written across his features.

"They took her hostage." Matron Redfern supplied. "They took both of us hostage, but she got a hold of one of their weapons."

"She made them let us go." John said, running his hand through his hair in a familiar gesture of frustration.

"You left her behind?" If the scene earlier in the day had left her feeling miserable, this revelation only served to make her angry. How could he _leave_ her? The Doctor would _never_ do the same in a situation like this. John was only a shade of what he could be, of what he _should_ be.

He looked as though he would argue, make some excuse, but then his face hardened. "You're right," he nodded. "We have to get her back. Matron Redfern, I want you to get back to the school, raise the alarm and barricade the doors. Miss," he said, turning back to Calypso. "It might be best if you join her, I'm not entirely sure what their intentions are, but I doubt the village is safe at this point." He was finally resembling something of the Doctor when Martha came bursting out of the doors.

"Don't just stand there, move!" She shouted at them all. "God, you're rubbish as a human!" She shot a particularly nasty glare at John. "Come on!" That seemed to be all the encouragement they needed and John grabbed for the Matron's hand and they started to run.

"I think we're in some serious trouble." Martha risked a glance back at the hall before sprinting in the direction of the school with Calypso following closely behind.


	31. Farringham Part 4

**A/N: Hey, look at that over there, is that a bird? It looks like a bird, feathers and all that- Oh, hey! I updated. Wowie. Isn't that interesting. Um, yeah. Well. Here I am. Updating...But man, that bird is REALLY cool. You should check that out.**

**P.S. Sorry!  
><strong>

**P.P.S. For those of you who haven't, you could check out my other fic Starlight, because that one is officially finished, and you don't have to wonder when that son of a b...when I'll be updating. Because it's all updated, to the maxx! That's the only olive branch I got.  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>- 1913 -<br>**

**- Farringham -  
><strong>

John Smith held the bell over his head, chiming it loudly. A call to arms, rousing everyone from their beds. Boys poured into the hallway, looking bewildered and half-asleep, but curtly barked orders soon had them all ready for battle.

"You can't ask them to fight!" Martha was furious with him, none of her arguments had had much effect on John. "They're just boys."

"They're cadets, Miss Jones." He informed her. "They've been trained for this very thing."

Calypso found herself agreeing with Martha, they were all so terribly young and vulnerable looking, the sleep still clinging to their eyes. They weren't cadets, they were _children_. And this man was leading them into battle.

"What is the meaning of this?" A man appeared in the midst of the chaos, he wore a severe frown behind his wire-rimmed glasses, he made his way through the crowd to John. As he went, he cast disapproving glares at the boys who were still stumbling to pull weapons out from their storage closets. While they slowed under his scrutiny, they still worked with a purpose.

Calypso and Martha both staggered back, unwilling to bear the full brunt of the Headmaster's displeasure. Calypso just hoped that maybe he could talk some sense into John, this man who had inhabited the Doctor's body and yet seemed so unlike him.

"Headmaster," John was relieved that the older man had appeared. "There's been an attack on the village. People have been murdered, sir. I'm having the boys prepare a defense."

"The village?" The Headmaster gave John a careful look. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"It's true," Matron Redfern stepped forward, John gave her a grateful nod that Calypso couldn't help but notice. "People came to the dance, they had weapons. They threatened Mr. Smith, I believe they intend to pursue him here."

The Headmaster looked between the two of them, they both seemed shell shocked enough to be believable. "Very well," he let out a short breath. "Perhaps you acted wisely then. Mr. Philips," he turned to face the man who had followed him out across the room. "If you would, let's see if we can't find the cause of this mishap. I suspect alcohol has likely played a part in this matter."

"No! You can't go out there," Martha jumped out to stop the men from reaching the door, her warning was met with a contemptuous glare.

"Mr. Smith, it seems your favorite servant is giving unwanted advice, see that she doesn't do it in the future." He sidestepped her without another glance, while Martha just gaped at the men, watching them go. Calypso placed a warning hand on her shoulder, suspecting that shortly, Martha was going to take a swing at the man.

"We've got to find that bloody watch." Martha said, on the verge of desperation. "You keep an eye on him," she turned her attention to Calypso. "Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid."

Before Calypso could protest, Martha was already bolting down the hallway. She seriously doubted that John Smith would listen to anything she had to say. Matron Redfern looked conflicted between following Martha, and staying with John but it was clear she was starting to have her own doubts about who this man was. She took off after Martha, leaving Calypso alone to keep watch.

Unfortunately, when she turned her attention back to the chaos of the boys, she had already lost him. His tweed jacket was just vanishing up the stairs and she hurried to follow. More certain than ever that he was going to get himself into some kind of trouble she wasn't going to be able to save him from. That had been the Doctor's specialty, but so had been getting back _out_ of trouble, something Mr. Smith seemed less than qualified for.

It was a relief to find him perched at the window, spying on the scene below. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet, causing him to start, but when he recognized her, he only looked annoyed and returned his gaze to the window.

"Come to convince me I'm the mysterious 'Doctor' they're searching for?" His voice was bitter as he spoke.

"No," Calypso said, only to spite him of course. There was nothing she would rather do than grab his collar and shake him until he saw it was the truth. But she doubted that would help matters, even if it might make her feel a little better. "I'm just keeping an eye on you."

"Ah, following the lead of Martha, I suppose." He smirked. "She certainly knows how to give orders, rather strange for a servant." There was just a hint of a question there. Calypso hoped that it might mean he was starting to see the patterns for himself.

"Not so strange if you believe her."

"And if I don't?" He shot her a look. His question was more than a challenge, it was a flat refusal. Even if he suspected they were telling the truth, without the watch, it would take him far too long to come around. If Martha couldn't find it, they were going to be in some serious trouble.

"Then yes," she said with a defeated sigh. "I suppose it is rather strange."

He looked guilty and shrugged, "Though I suppose all of this has been quite strange." He offered a strained smile that held none of the reassuring warmth of the Doctor. Only the nervous energy of someone who was entirely out of their depth. "I have to admit, I have been having some very strange dreams as well."

"Oh?" For the moment, he seemed willing to speak to her, instead of guard against her as a hostile. That would have to be enough for now.

"Yes. Quite vivid too. Dreams where I…well," he gave an apologetic glance. "Travel across the stars. Sometimes Martha is there too, not as a servant though, not exactly. They're all such impossible places, filled with impossible creatures and people." He shook his head, and then looked directly at her. "When I saw you last night, I thought…well. I had never met you before, but I've seen your face. I feel…" He hesitated, the earnestness in his voice wavered and faded. "Do I know you?" His throat bobbed as he regarded her carefully.

"Yes," she answered.

"Don't you forget boy, I've been a soldier!" The Headmaster barked from below and she was spared the trouble of having to elaborate on how well, exactly, she knew him. Both their attentions were drawn to the scene below. "I fought with the butt of my rifle when the bullets ran out, and I would go back there tomorrow for king and country!" He was furious, whatever the boy and said had riled him more than even a Professor rousing the whole of the school at an unseemly hour had managed to.

"Et cetera, et cetera." The boy said with a sneer. He raised his arm and fired a weapon at Mr. Philips' chest. In a bright flash, his body was consumed by an unnatural green fire. He survived just long enough to writhe in agony before collapsing into a pile of ash.

Calypso physically jerked back from the window and even John sucked in a sharp breath. The Headmaster was aghast as he slowly backed away from the site where a man had once stood. She couldn't breathe as she urged him to run, to flee that terrible weapon. Part of her couldn't really believe what had happened, but the tightness in her chest confirmed that she had just watched a man's execution.

"Run along, Headmaster. Run back to school. And send us Mr. Smith!" The murderer shouted at the Headmaster's retreating back as he fled for the safety of the school walls.

John turned from the window, just then remembering Calypso was there. His eyes were anxious, looking nothing like the confident Doctor. That uncertainty was only worrying her further.

"I'm sorry," he said, shaking his head, looking lost. "I didn't mean for…" Whatever he meant to say was forgotten as he stood up and cleared his throat. "You shouldn't have seen that."

She nodded, acknowledging his apology. More than that though, she was agreeing that these were dangerous people. People with weapons far superior to their own. Mr. Philips hadn't just died, he had been _eradicated_. What was left of him was only a fine powder on the cobbles below. For a brief moment, she wondered what that would mean for herself. Could she come back from something that harmful?

She pushed the thought aside, she could worry about that later. What she needed to focus on now, was getting the Doctor back. Convincing John that he needed to _be_ the Doctor. There was a school full of children that would share the fate of Mr. Philips if she failed. The Doctor would never let that happen, and neither would she.

"We should get back downstairs," he said resolutely. "The Headmaster will need our help preparing the defenses."

"Yes," she agreed, but she was thinking that Martha's plight was more important.

"Come on then," he strode past her and then stood at the top of the stairs, waiting expectantly.

"I think…" she gulped in a deep breath, her hands had been trembling and she hadn't even been aware. " I think I just need a moment."

He took a step forward, concern passing briefly over his features. He opened his mouth to speak and his hand reached out, just barely, but she noticed. The Doctor would know what to say, something that might make her feel less desperately hopeless. Something that might erase the sour feeling in her stomach from having witnessed that man die below them and being powerless to stop it.

Instead, he simply said, "Alright," his hand dropping back to his side as he turned and retreated down the stairs, returning to the chaos below. He might as well have said nothing at all.


	32. Farringham Part 5

**A/N: Rapid and excessively long update? Due to lingering guilt caused by the last drought? Possibly. Don't get used to it. I did a lot of episode chopping here, please let me know if it was at all confusing. Or if you would have preferred more confusion. Either way would be grand. Thanks for not giving up on me!...yet!**

* * *

><p><strong>- 1913 - <strong>

**- Farringham -**

Retreat. That was the word that had her feeling a sharp hollowness in the pit of her stomach. It wasn't that it was the wrong decision, the school was overrun. The first wave of those creatures posed as scarecrows had fallen. They had been victorious. But then the little girl had come, the headmaster had tried to pull her away, out of the danger of the battle. And she had killed him, the same way they had killed Mr. Philips. She was one of them. John had seen the horror of the situation, had known he couldn't order those boys to gun her down. And so they had retreated.

They had to run. They couldn't fight these creatures. There was no other choice.

But nor did she have any control of the situation. Neither did John, every time she looked to him, hoping to see a hint of that man who had taken her through so many adventures, all she saw was a stranger. Just as lost as herself. Martha hadn't found the watch either, what little flame of hope in her chest still existed was on its last reserves, flickering in the wind. She admired Martha's strength, her refusal to give up, but even the Doctor's most stalwart companion was showing signs of desperation.

"Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize!" They were slinking out behind the bushes, distancing themselves from the school. The Matron, or Joan, as she had finally introduced herself, had come with them as well. Never far from John's side. The Family all stood outside the school walls, the largest of them boasting, calling out into the darkness. Trying to tempt the Doctor to come out of hiding, but there was only John. Calypso didn't know what they would do to him if he came forward, human as he was. It didn't sound like he'd be much use without the watch. They would probably just kill him. Despite the distance between them, Calypso feared that more than she cared to admit.

"Out you come, Doctor. There's a good boy. Come to the Family." The student was calling him again, they hunched down in the bushes and stopped for a moment. Calypso finally recognized the boy from earlier in the day, the one who had looked at her so strangely. And Jenny too. But the carefree girl she had met the night before was gone, replaced with some sinister caricature who had a meanness to her eyes that frightened Calypso.

But then she saw something that made her heart stop. The TARDIS was there, on the grass with them. The man patted the side smugly. She felt inexplicably angry, and for the first time, not afraid. Not of the Family, and not of their weapons. That was her blood, her sister. They had no right to keep her, to use her as a pawn.

"What, are you mad?" Martha's sharp whisper brought her back down to earth and so did her tight grip on her shoulder. Calypso hadn't even realized she had started to stand up. Still she bristled, furious that she couldn't do anything from where she sat. Angrier still at John for losing the watch.

"You recognize it, don't you?" Martha was speaking to John, who had a haunted look in his eyes. Similar to the one he had worn at the top of the stairs.

"I've never seen it in my life." He said, but even Calypso could see he was lying.

"I'm sorry, John," Joan spoke up. "But you wrote about it. The blue box. You dreamt of a blue box." He looked at her for a long moment and his resolve seemed to crumble.

"I'm not," he shook his head, desperately trying to deny what they were all saying. "I'm John Smith. That's all I want to be. John Smith, with his life, and his job, and his love." He looked at Joan again and Calypso tried not to let it crush her. "Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?" His voice cracked as he searched Joan's eyes for answers.

"Yes," she whispered, but her gaze fell to the ground. "Yes he is."

"Why can't I stay?" He was asking Martha now, and Calypso. The pleading in his eyes cut her more deeply than she was expecting. It was easy for her to expect him to accept the idea that he had been living as a different man. Even Joan seemed to understand it, she wasn't happy, but she could sense the truth of it. It was only John who had to accept the idea that he wasn't real, that he was nothing more than a character the Doctor was playing.

"We need the Doctor." Martha said as gently as she could, still it looked like she had struck him.

"What am I, then?" He asked, his anguish turning to anger. "Nothing. I'm just a story." He shook his head bitterly and started to leave.

"No," Calypso spoke up, suddenly realizing why she felt so pained on his behalf. She knew this feeling, understood it completely. The feeling of not belonging, of being worthless, of not being real. A phony in her own life. "You're real." She said with conviction. "You're very real."

The anger receded for a moment and he blinked, once more looking confused by Calypso. Somewhere in there he was struggling, fighting to remember, trying to separate the dreams from reality.

"But you're not whole yet." She finished, hating that she said it, but knowing she needed to. His face darkened and he turned away from them, disappearing into the field. She wanted to offer comfort, and she certainly didn't want to hurt him. But John couldn't save them, only the Doctor could. If any of them were going to live through the night, they had to bring him back.

* * *

><p>The cottage was dark, empty. It was made all the more forlorn by the knowledge that the family who had once resided there would never return. The little girl who had lived there was lost, and so was her family. They were all dead.<p>

"I must go to them, before anyone else dies." John finally spoke up, but it lacked any real conviction. He looked desperate for anyone to offer an alternative.

"You can't," Joan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Martha, there must be something we can do." She looked to Martha for guidance. Calypso caught her eyes and saw the bleakness reflected in the other woman. She shook her head.

"Not without the watch."

"You're this Doctor's companion," John scowled. "Can't you-" But he was interrupted by a knock at the door. Their temporary feeling of safety had suddenly fled, leaving behind a tense fear that they all shared. Martha rose from her chair and started for the door.

"What if it's them?" Joan whispered, her eyes wide with fear. Even Calypso could feel her heart beating fiercely in her chest, wanting to warn Martha away from the door.

"I'm not an expert, but I don't think scarecrows knock." She said with a shrug. She opened the door and a young blond student from the school stood outside, looking a bit disheveled, but harmless.

"I brought you this." He said, holding out his hand. There was a silver pocket watch sitting in his palm. Martha let out a short sound of surprise as she ushered the boy inside, her smile broadened as she met Calypso's gaze.

"Hold it," she told John, the bleakness that had settled across her features had been washed away and she looked younger. But John just shook his head, standing from the table and taking a few steps back as the boy approached him. "Please," Martha begged. "Just hold it."

"It told me to find you. It wants to be held." The boy smiled as he took another step forward but John made it very clear he didn't want anything to do with the watch.

"I won't." He insisted, looking to Joan for support, but she only pursed her lips. "You've had this watch all this time? Why didn't you return it?" He asked the boy.

"Because it was waiting. And…because I was scared of the Doctor. I've seen him. He's like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun."

"Stop it." John whispered harshly, raising his hand as though he might be able to block the boys words.

"He's ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time, and he can see the turn of the universe. He's wonderful."

"Stop it! I said stop it!" John was afraid now, and Calypso couldn't blame him. The Doctor was all of those things, and so much more. "Those are just stories, dreams. None of that is real." He was grasping at straws now, needing to deny the truth, no matter if he was starting to believe it. There was nothing Calypso could say to make it any better, or easier.

"We know that's not true." Joan's voice was soft, gentle, and filled with her own hurt. Something in it broke John, deeply inside. He shook his head slowly, running his hand through his hair, trying to come to terms with the fact that his life was falling apart around him.

The world outside exploded and the ground shook violently beneath their feet. Plates fell from the shelves and shattered against the hard floor.

"What the hell…" The rumbling subsided and Martha ran for the window, Calypso followed her. A fireball shot out from the field, arcing through the air before hitting the ground some distance away. Another followed it, now in a pattern.

"They're destroying the village." Joan whispered, her hand covering her mouth. Calypso realized it was true. The stones weren't random, there was a focus, an errant one had struck near the cottage, but most of them were falling on the small cluster of lights on the horizon. The village was the target, the same place she would have been had Martha not come to find her. The same place that many people probably still were.

"The watch." John said firmly, stepping forward for the first time since the boy had arrived. He handed it over eagerly and hope sprang to Martha's eyes.

"John, don't." Joan was still afraid for him, and Calypso knew why, though she hated to admit it. She didn't want to see how their hands touched every so often, or how John looked to her for reassurance, for strength.

"Why did he speak to me?" The boy asked, curious, despite the seriousness of their situation.

"Oh," John drawled. "Low level telepathic field. You were born with it. Just and extra synaptic engram causing-"

Calypso's head shot up, as did Martha's. It was him, it was the Doctor. But just as quickly as it had come, it was gone again.

"Is that how he talks?" John was afraid, horrified even, and he distanced the watch from his body.

"Yes," Martha said with a smile. "That's him. All you need to do is open it and he's back." She was so hopeful, so happy to have the Doctor back. But all it did was aggravate John.

"You," He pointed at her accusingly. "You knew this all along. And now you're just expecting me to die?"

"It was always going to end," Martha said, shaking her head sadly. "The Doctor said the Family's got a limited lifespan. That's why they needed you, they needed your life force, or energy. That's why they had to consume a time lord. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said." She said bitterly, as though the Family could ever be compared to something so harmless.

"But you knew…" He shook his head, looking back to Joan. "You watched, while Nurse Redfern and I-" He swallowed, unable to finish the thought.

"I didn't know how to stop you," Martha insisted. "He gave me a list of things to watch out for, but that wasn't on the list." Calypso knew Martha wasn't to blame, but she also wished she had done something, anything to have prevented this, for her own sake, as well as John's.

"Falling in love? That didn't even _occur_ to him?" He looked aghast.

"No."

"What sort of man is that? A man who isn't even capable of love? How can you ask me to change back?"

"He is, though," Calypso found herself speaking before she could stop herself. "He is…_so _capable of love. And so special to-" She swallowed, aware that all eyes were on her. "I just wish…I wish you could know him like I do." She whispered. This admission seemed to surprise everyone, and Joan looked more than a little alarmed, but it was John's eyes that she felt boring down on her most acutely. "Like we do." She added, though it was too late to hide what she had really meant. The silence lingered on, with only the low rumble of a distant fireball interrupting the quiet.

"Who are you?" John finally asked with a frown, taking a step toward her. She couldn't answer that, not to this man. And certainly not to the woman he actually loved.

"I'm sorry," Calypso gave a strained smile. "I'm just rambling. I should- I need some air." She spun around and headed for the door.

"Wait-"

"Please," Martha interrupted, leaving Calypso free to escape the cottage that seemed entirely too small. "People are dying out there-" The door shut behind Calypso and she couldn't hear whatever argument Martha was going to make. She took a deep breath, the cool air calming her frayed nerves. She could see the fireballs exploding over the village now, they were less frequent now, as though the Family was waiting, biding their time. She just hoped Martha could talk some sense into him. Without the Doctor, she had no idea what they could do. She let her feet carry her down the path that led to the field, unsure of where she planned to go, she just knew she couldn't face John again, or Martha for that matter.

"Probably not the best idea to wander off," The boy's soft footsteps gave her warning before his head popped up at her side.

"I know, I'm sorry. It's all just been a bit much for me."

He smiled easily and nodded. It had all probably been a bit much for him as well, but he was young, and seemed to have a comfortable handle on the madness that was happening around them.

"So you knew him before? Before he was John Smith?" He sounded eager to hear more about the great Doctor and Calypso had to smile.

"Yes, I did. I knew him after too."

"After?" He frowned. "But how is that possible?"

"It's complicated-" Her smile turned to a frown as they both heard the rustling further down the path. As she strained her eyes, she could see the outlines of figures coming toward them in the darkness. Scarecrows. "Get down," she whispered, pushing him to the side of the road. But she realized that there was nowhere to hide, the shrubs nearby were scattered at best, they would only be hidden until the creatures were right on top of them, and then it would be too late. The boy hid anyway, beckoning her under the small bush where he had tucked himself. "Stay there. Don't say anything." She warned him, before he could protest, she started running down the path.

"Hello!" She called out, waving her arms to gather their attention. "Please, don't hurt me. I've got something the Family wants." She came to a stop several paces from the scarecrows, she wanted to lead them away from the boy and the cottage, but she didn't want to find out too late that they didn't take prisoners.

"Oh?" Asked a cold voice in the darkness. The cluster of straw men stopped their forward march and a single figure stepped forward. She recognized Jenny in the moonlight as she closed the distance between them, but her sneer erased any real similarity there might have once been. "And what have you got, you puny thing?"

"I've…I've got me. I'm like the Doctor, I can power your ship. I can keep you alive." She didn't really know if it was true, but at this point she was really just buying them time. If it was true, well, maybe John Smith could live on, happily with the woman he had fallen in love with. Where would the harm be in that?

Jenny was skeptical as she sidled up alongside Calypso, sniffing the air delicately. She stopped very suddenly and straightened. She sniffed the air once more, deeply this time, and a sinister grin curled her lips upward.

"Oh. Oh _yes_." She said, smacking her lips. "You will do quite nicely." She lurched forward and Calypso took a nervous step back.

"I won't run," she said, holding up her hands. "Or fight. Just, please. Leave the village alone. Leave this planet."

Jenny tilted her side to the side, taking a moment to consider the bargain.

"Very well." She said finally and Calypso let out a small sigh of relief. Jenny closed her eyes and her face glowed green for a moment. "Husband of mine, Son of mine. Prepare the ship. I've found what we're looking for." Her eyes snapped open again and Jenny nodded to the scarecrows who still waited nearby. "Grab her."

* * *

><p>"If I could do this instead of you, then I would. I'd hoped-" Joan shook her head, her eyes falling to the floor again, thinking of the village, thinking of the headmaster, of the family that used to live in this home that they were hiding within. She swallowed. "But my hopes aren't important." She said in a hushed whisper.<p>

John shook his head, gripping her hands in his own. "He won't love-"

"Doctor!" Martha burst back in through the front doors, interrupting what he had planned to say.

"I'm _not_ him." John turned to Martha, his eyes were blazing dangerously. "And I don't _want_ to be."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"They've taken her!" Timothy shouted, pushing past Martha. "It doesn't matter who you are or aren't. They've taken your friend. They mean to use her for their ship. She's going to die if you don't help her." Martha looked just as desperate, on the verge of shouting at John. They needed the Doctor, and they needed him immediately. When Timothy had come running up the path, shouting about the scarecrows, Martha was afraid it was going to be too late for Calypso. But she had to try.

John stood up slowly and stared at them both, the anger that had been there a moment earlier had all but vanished. "Calypso…" he said slowly, turning his eyes to the watch in his hand. He thought he felt it tremble, but he couldn't be sure. Was it because he truly knew her, in this other life? Or was it just the fear of another death laid at his feet.

_The time is now_…He nearly jumped when the voice whispered into his mind. He stared at the watch, hating and fearing it all the more.

"They only want the watch…" he whispered to himself. "They don't want me. They want the _watch_."

* * *

><p>"We'll blast them into dust, then fuse the dust into glass, and then shatter them all over again." Son of mine grinned sinisterly as he pushed one of the levers, causing the ship to shake as he fired another shot into the village.<p>

"Please," Calypso strained against the cuffs around her wrists. "You said you would leave." She couldn't hide the desperation in her voice. They had chained her to a column in the center of the ship, and continued to attack the village she had hoped to save. She had been so stupid to believe them, stupid to think she could have helped any of those people she knew and worked with.

"Well, I lied!" Jenny cackled, a sharp grating noise that echoed in the ship. "Besides, we can't just _leave_ the Doctor so that he came come to find us. What a silly idea."

The door to the ship hissed as it sprang open and they all turned to look. For a wild moment, Calypso thought maybe Martha had been able to convince John, and that maybe, the man who walked through those doors would be the Doctor, _her_ Doctor.

"Just…" He stepped forward, wide eyed at his surroundings. The ship shook again as it fired another missile into the night. It caught John off guard and he stumbled sideways, sprawling against one of the columns, struggling to catch his balance. "Just stop the bombardment. That's all I'm asking. I'll do anything you want, just, just stop."

"Oh John," Calypso said miserably, knocking her head against the pole that held her trapped. Martha had failed, just as she had. "You have to run," she said, her voice starting to crack. "They're only going to kill you, you have to _run_ John." His brown eyes met hers, looking concerned, but also frightened, like a caged animal. It had taken all of his courage just to get this far, he couldn't just flee now.

Son of mine watched this all with interest as he tilted his head to the side. "Say _please_." Amusement pulled at the corner of his lips.

"Please," John begged them. "I can't pretend to understand, not for a second, but I want you to know I'm innocent in all this. He made me John Smith. It's not like I had any control over-" He tripped on the uneven floor and stumbled against another wall covered in switches.

"He didn't just make himself human," Jenny sneered at him. "He made himself an idiot."

"Same thing, isn't it?" Son of mine grinned. Calypso hated them then and she fought her restraints again, on the verge of screaming. The sharp metal cut into her skin, but it didn't yield. Warm blood trickled down her wrist, but she knew it didn't matter. What mattered was that they both had to get out of here, or they were going to die. And so would everyone in the village too.

"Listen, I don't care about this…this Doctor, or your family. I just want to go. I've made my choice. You can have him-"

"John, don't!" Calypso lurched forward, but she couldn't block him from stepping forward. He cast her a quick glance, but continued past.

"If you let us go. Both of us. Just take it, please. Take him away." He held the watch out, terrified of what it contained.

Son of mine snatched it out of his hand, a greedy look in his eye. He grabbed John by the shirt collar, pulling him close. "Don't think this saved either of your lives." He sneered before hurling John across the room where he hit the wall and crumpled to the floor.

"Family of mine," He grinned as they all gathered around him. "Now we shall have the lives of a time lord, _and_ a Gallifreyan. We shall live forever." He flipped the watch open and they all breathed deeply. For a moment nothing happened, Son of mine's eyes shot open. "It's empty!" His voice was fully of venom as his gaze found John where he was still sprawled on the floor.

"But…where's it gone?" He asked helplessly.

"You tell me," Son of mine threw the watch at John, who snapped it out of the air effortlessly as he glided to his feet. He tossed the watch up and caught it once more, looking at Calypso and winking.

"Oh, I think the explanation might be you've been fooled by a simple olfactory misdirection. Little bit like ventriloquism of the nose. It's an elementary trick in certain parts of the galaxy."

Jenny's nostrils flared as she stepped forward. "Alright _Doctor_, but we still have your friend. We'll use her just as we intended to use you. You've still lost." She sneered.

"Well," He drawled as he took a step forward and peered carefully at the readings on the column that Calypso was still attached to. "I wouldn't be so sure. And it needs to be said. I don't like the looks of that hydroconometer. It seems to be indicating you've got energy feedback all the way through the retrostabilisers feeding back into the primary heat converters. Oh. Because if there's one thing you shouldn't have done, you shouldn't have let me press all those buttons. But, in fairness, I will give you one word of advice. Run." He waggled his eyebrows as he pulled the sonic screwdriver out from his pocket and aimed it down at Calypso. With a sharp whir, the shackles snapped open and he bent to take her hand. "Come on then, you know the drill." He grinned as he pulled her up from the floor just as the ships alarms started to wail.

"Get out! Get out!" She could hear the Family screaming behind her, but they were already crossing the field, heading for the trees. The Doctor finally stopped and they turned back just in time to see the ship erupt in the same green fire that had consumed the Headmaster and Mr. Philips.

"Well," The Doctor said, looking quite pleased with himself. "All in all, I think that went pretty well." He turned to Calypso, but his cheery smile faded. "What? You're leaving already?"

Calypso looked down to her arms to see that same familiar yellow glow trickling over her skin. It dawned on her that she had been perhaps a little overzealous in her attempts to escape. One of her wrists was bleeding quite badly from where she had split the skin. She clapped her hand over the wound, but it didn't matter, the damage had already been done.

"Sorry, I didn't know you had a plan."

"I'm the Doctor," he said indignantly. "I always have a plan." Calypso raised her eyebrows at him. "Well, it was sort of a plan. I suppose it was a bit more like…improvisation, maybe. Or possibly something else, more impressive sounding. Anyway, the point is, it worked. Let's not argue semantics."

Calypso felt a nervous laugh start to rise in her throat, she was just so happy to see him. The Doctor. Not John Smith. She didn't know how relieved she'd be until she realized her eyes had begun to tear up. "Oh, I'm sorry." She shook her head, feeling like an idiot. She tried to brush them away, but realized her hands were mostly coated in blood. "Really, sorry."

"Hey, it's alright. We're okay." He said, smiling at her reassuringly, gripping her shoulders so she couldn't turn away from him.

"I know, it sounds stupid. I guess," she took a deep breath and sniffed sharply. "I was worried I'd lost you."

"Oh, no. No, no no." He pulled her forward and hugged her tight. She had needed that badly and she felt the pain in her chest ease some with his arms wrapped around her. "I'm not going anywhere. I promise. And you…" He pulled back, holding her at arms length again. "Well, you _are_ going somewhere. But that's alright. We'll meet up again, I'm sure of it. After all, you said I was special." He grinned and his eyes twinkled with mischief. She was too exhausted to be mortified, so she only laughed.

"Yes," she nodded, finally feeling the tears subside. "I guess I did."

"See, we'll be alright then." He brushed a strand of her dark hair back from her face and held her cheek, but she couldn't feel it any more. "See you around." He smiled and she couldn't help but return it.

"Okay."


	33. Siberia

**A/N: Can I just say OH MY JESUS MOTHER OF MARY I AM SO SORRY. I have all sorts of semi-legitimate excuses, but I think the most convincing one is that I'm a total loser jerk who enjoys watching people suffer. No. Really though. Am sorry about the horrid lack of updates. I did lose my notes, and then found them, and then lost them, and now have converted them into a sexy excel sheet (which was mostly an effective procrastination exercise) so they can never be lost again. Unless the apocalypse DOES occur, in which case I imagine we'll all have better things to be doing with our time. **

**All of the regulars, I'm so sorry. To the maxx! Thanks for sticking with me (er...that is supposing you're still here) And to any new people who reviewed and I failed to respond, I'm also sorry, I do appreciate the time and effort you put into reviewing, but as I gradually fell further and further behind I became entirely too frightened to respond and then be confronted with the "So you are alive...why aren't you updating?" because my only response would have been "BLAAAARGGGHHHHHHIIIIIISSSSSS SSS" Which, frankly, isn't very socially polite.**

**...Also sorry about the excessive authors note. . SORRY'S ALL AROUND.**

* * *

><p><strong>-1918-<strong>

**-Siberia-**

* * *

><p>The walk back was almost pleasant, it was cool, but sunny, the gentle warmth spread down her shoulders through her cloak. But even that wasn't enough to make Calypso forget that she was heading back to a place that was little more than a prison. She was fortunate enough to have been allowed to leave, the rest of the family had not been so lucky. Things had been strict before, but with the change of their guards, it had gotten much worse. These new soldiers had no patience for the family, or the servants. It was very clear to them that they were to keep the people in the house contained, as opposed to the original excuse of keeping them safe.<p>

Olga, the eldest of the daughters, seemed to sense it the most. She had been depressed these past weeks, but it grew worse every day. She seemed to be the only one who fully understood that the family was in serious peril. It was why she had scribbled out a quick letter, hoping that her pleas might make it out to anyone who still could be loyal to the old regime. She'd entrusted Calypso to carry it with her while she escorted the kitchen boy back home. He seemed sympathetic to the family, and had become a good friend to Alexi who was still restricted to his chair from his earlier injury.

Still, Calypso had been nervous as she handed over the letter to the boy's father, for a moment, certain he would shout out for help, or expose her some other way. But he hadn't. Instead, he had nodded seriously, and even packed up a few loaves of bread in the shoulders of her cloak, wishing her a safe journey back.

So there was hope yet. If he could get the word out, perhaps to some higher ranking general in the White army, they might yet be rescued. Really they needed anyone who would stand against the Bolsheviks and save the ex-tsar's family from their imprisonment. They were in desperate need of it, all of them were ailing, growing thinner by the day. Calypso too, had wasted away. Her clothes now hung loose off her diminishing frame and every night she went to sleep with a gnawing in her belly. That the men tasked as their warden's cared so little for their health was even more of a concern. But there was no one she could voice that concern to, Olga was just a girl, and Nicholas, no matter how fairly he treated his servants, would have no interest in the ramblings of the staff.

She was within sight of the house when she heard the rustling of the trees to her left. There was no breeze to speak of, so she looked cautiously over, worried that some animal might be lurking. She had heard the wolves howling at night, this far on the outskirts of town, and she had no desire to become any more familiar with them than that. She took a deep breath and continued on, hoping whatever it was could see that she would make a rather poor meal and let her pass unheeded.

"Psst." This time she came to a stop. There were no animals she knew of that could give a hissed warning, other than a snake. And that was no snake.

"Hello?" Her thoughts briefly considered that it could be one of the guards having a go, but these new men were not jokers. They hardly seemed human at all, so devoid of both humor and sympathy.

"Well, fancy meeting you here," instead of a uniformed soldier, it was a tall grinning man with wild hair. He didn't have his long brown coat, but she saw he was still dressed in his blue pinstriped suit.

"Doctor!" She said, throwing her arms around his neck, a relieved laugh bubbling up from her throat. He squeezed her tightly and for a moment they just held each other, something Calypso hadn't realized how badly she'd needed until just then. How long had it been since she'd seen him last? Several months at least, maybe even a year. Much too long. He finally pulled back to get a good look at her, but the grin on his face faltered and turned to a frown.

"What's wrong? Blimey, you look…you look…"

"Awful, I know." She shook her head.

"Well, no. You don't look _awful_. But you certainly don't look _well_. What's happened?"

"The revolution." She said with a bitter laugh.

"Tutor!" One of the guards must have noticed her lack of progress, a reminder that she was being watched.

"Tutor? In there?" The Doctor's eyes flickered to the Ipatiev House. "Are you…_tutoring_ the Romanov's?" He asked incredulously.

"As much as I can. I'm afraid no one is much in the mood for it anymore, but we try to keep ourselves busy."

"Who's there?" The guard shouted again, starting to hustle down the unpaved road with his weapon at the ready.

"Just a man from the village," she called back. "I'm sorry Doctor. I have to go-"

"No." He said very deliberately as his grip tightened on her arms. "Absolutely not. You're not going back there."

"I must. The guards have been ruthless. It was lucky enough that they let me on this short walk. Please, if there's anything you can do to help them, I'm worried. I fear they're in danger here."

"Well, yes. You're not wrong about that." He said grimly, still trying to pull her with him, into the woods. "Trust me on this Calypso, you need to come with me."

"Why?" She started to follow, a bit haltingly. She couldn't go with him, couldn't just leave them behind. But his tone was starting to frighten her. "What's the matter?"

"Calypso, I'm so sorry, but we've got to go. They're going to-"

"Hands in the air!" The guard had arrived, his rifle aimed directly at the Doctor. He released his grip on Calypso, but reluctantly. His brown eyes warning her of some impending doom.

"It's okay," it took Calypso a moment to recall the man's name. "Rolf, it's alright. He's just a man from the village." The new men had been so unfriendly and less than social, but his thick beard had made him somewhat unique so she believed she'd remembered correctly. "He's just asking after their health." Rolf eyed the Doctor uncertainly, the urge to use the weapon in his hands clearly a strong one from the way his mustache bristled, but he gave a short nod.

"Get to the gates," he jerked his chin over his shoulder, sparing Calypso a glance. "And you, back to the village." His voice was much sharper with the Doctor, though she would have hardly described the tone he'd used with her as 'warm' or even 'friendly'.

"Calypso…" The Doctor pleaded, but Rolf encouraged him to move with the butt of his rifle. "Just…just be careful." He said as he took one step and then another back in retreat. She felt the growing distance as a tightness in her chest, the only real hope she'd had was now drifting away. And really, it wasn't just the hope for escape, but the hope of seeing him again. Of spending time with him. But she was going to walk away. "And stay out of the basement!" He shouted. Rolf chased him another few feet in an effort to convince the Doctor to leave once and for all, which he finally did.

Rolf turned and marched her back to the home, leaving her side once she was within the confines of the walled garden. Olga was waiting for her just inside as she removed her cloak, careful to keep the bread still tucked away. She could see pure desperation in the girl's eyes as they practically begged Calypso to tell her if the letter had successfully met with the right hands. But she was clever enough to keep her mouth shut until they were in a safer location. Who knew who might be listening in the entryway?

"Did you have a fair trip?" She asked instead. Maria and Anastasia both looked up from their sewing and nodded a greeting to Calypso, but otherwise were disinterested in her reappearance.

"I did. Though I might have overexerted myself a bit."

"Oh dear, you should probably lie down." Olga tsked her imagined exhaustion and shooed Calypso upstairs. "I'll help get you settled." They both headed up the stairs in silence and didn't speak again until they were safely within the girls rooms. Olga looked out the door once before shutting it behind her and turning her attention to Calypso. Her, more recently, dulled eyes were now a vibrant color of blue, their intensity briefly fueled by the excitement of an executed secret.

"Did you deliver it?" Her voice, while excited, was still hushed. Always mindful of the men who watched their every move.

"Yes. His father seems happy enough to pass it along. He even gave us a bit of help so that we might not starve." Calypso said with a smile as she unfolded her cloak and revealed the small feast on top of the dresser.

"The Lord has heard our prayers," Olga sighed with a serene smile, her hands clasped together against her chest. While Calypso had her doubts, who was she to say that the families prayers hadn't helped their circumstances. "I pray that He continues to hear us, and bring us salvation."

"As do I." Calypso said, not thinking of some unseen god, but of the Doctor.

"Who was that man who accosted you on the road?" Olga asked with a curious smile pulling at her lips.

"A friend." Any explanation more than that would be entirely too complicated. Olga was a clever woman, but not so clever that time travel would be an easy concept for her to accept. Nor would Calypso's own alien heritage.

"A friend? From the village? You work quickly to make friends on so short a trip, Callie."

"No. He's not from the village. I've known him for some time."

"Oh," Olga said, her finger tapping against her chin thoughtfully. Her eyes grew wider. "_Oh_. Is he your sweetheart?"

Calypso allowed herself a smile, she knew her own answer for that, but she truly didn't know his. Not at this point, anyway. They hadn't had time to exchange their visit count. "Sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Olga asked aghast, but then she started to giggle. "Only when it pleases you, I suppose? You must be quite the forward woman to beat back your suitors when they are quarrelsome." Calypso laughed along with her, because it was as good an answer as any. "He was quite handsome."

"Yes. He is."

"He came all this way for you? He must be romantic to chase you across the whole of Russia." Her voice grew sad at the end, but Calypso couldn't be sure if it was because Olga longed for a similar suitor herself, of because it became apparent just how far away from home she really was. She couldn't explain that the Doctor wasn't really here for her, so she didn't try. She crossed to the window and looked out at the garden below, and even to the forest beyond that. Wondering if there was a flash of blue somewhere there in the shadows. Olga joined her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps you should go with him."

"I doubt very much that the guards would allow that." Calypso said with a snort, but Olga didn't share her amusement.

"Maybe you should go tonight. At least someone should be able to escape this gray prison."

"Don't be silly," Calypso took her hand, worried about the girl's somber tone. "I'm not going to just run off. I will see him again when we _all_ leave this prison. And then we will find you a handsome soldier of your own." She tweaked the princess' nose, a very unladylike gesture, but it managed to coax a small smile from Olga.

"I fear that the longer we stay here, the more sure it is that we will never escape." Her words were sobering and Calypso felt a chill run down her spine.

"That's nonsense and you know it." She said the words firmly, both for the girl's benefit and her own. Olga caught the intent in her eyes and pasted a more convincing smile on her face.

"You may be right. I'm turning into a bitter old woman. It just feels like the walls have begun to close in on us."

"Keep to your prayers," If it was an empty gesture, she couldn't say, but it seemed to bring the girl peace. "Help is coming." Her voice sounded more sure than she truly felt, but there _had_ to be hope. The Doctor was here; surely he could help them if things were to get too dire.

"I hope you are right." Olga nodded shortly, but the uncertainty hung from her like wet leaves. "I'll let you rest." She said as she scooped up the cloak, along with the bread and disappeared out the door.

Calypso was left staring out the window, wondering what could be going so wrong for the Doctor to have arrived.

"I hope so too." She whispered so faintly it was hardly more than an exhale of breath. There was a part of her that believed what she had told the young woman. But there was a larger part that suspected Olga was right. The sudden appearance of the Doctor, along with his cryptic warnings, were more than enough to support their worst fears.


	34. Siberia Part 2

**-1918-**

**-Siberia-**

* * *

><p>"Calli!" The voice startled her as her shoulder was shaken abruptly. "You must get up!" She struggled awake and recognized Maria's wide blue eyes above her. Tatiana was also in the room with Anastasia, pulling out the travel trunk they had tucked into the closet.<p>

"What's going on?" She asked with a frown. The only things in that trunk were the girls travel garments, and it was much too early an hour for them to be going anywhere. She raised herself from the bed and tried to rally, but sleep had been elusive as she laid in bed that night. Thoughts of the Doctor had chased her every moment, making rest an impossible goal.

"The guards said there is to be battle. They're trying to move us somewhere safer. Can you help us dress? Olga said to wear our special travel skirts." They were only special because that's where they had sewn in the Romanov's remaining wealth to hide it from their captors. Which had to mean Olga thought they were going to be moved, and possibly searched again.

"Yes, of course." Calypso shook the remaining sleep from her limbs and wrapped her robe around her shoulders, helping the girls to pull the trunk out before layering the dresses, now heavy with family gems and heirlooms, on each of them. Calypso dressed herself and they stuffed the trunk back into the closet, unsure if this would be the last time they saw it. As they walked out into the parlor, Olga had just appeared, a guard waiting at the door.

"Everyone is already downstairs," Olga said as she caught Calypso's eye. "I haven't seen any firefight in town, but perhaps they are on their way. Are you all ready?" She asked, giving a meaningful glance to the clothing they were wearing. But Calypso knew the girl recognized the clothes just as well as she did, they had both spent painful hours stitching the treasures into the fabric on the train ride there.

"Yes, of course. Did you say downstairs?" Calypso asked with a tightness in her chest.

"Yes, in the basement. Bound to be damp, hopefully Alexi does not get the cough." Olga turned back to the door as she prepared to leave, but Calypso grabbed her arm.

"No, please, your highness," Olga's eyebrows rose considerably, so unused to having her title used. "You can't. Not the basement. It isn't safe." She tried to come up with any reason to convince her, but found she could not. The Doctor's warning had been vague, but Calypso knew she believed it.

"What do you mean? Of course it's safe, the guards are already down there." She had lowered her voice as her eyes trailed to the door, the man still waiting outside, but not paying them much attention.

"I'm sorry. I can't explain." Calypso shook her head. The sisters listened nearby, but did their best to act like they weren't. "My friend, who you saw today. He warned me against the basement. I'm afraid there is something terrible down there."

Olga's eyes widened, "But Papa, and Alexi…" Calypso felt her heart sink as she realized what Olga's fear was. Her family was already down there. If there was some trouble lurking in the basement, they were already trapped in it.

"Stay here." She gripped Olga's shoulders firmly as she spoke. "Don't let the girls go down. I will go see, perhaps it's nothing." She tried to make her voice confident, but it was hard to doubt the Doctor in this instance. Olga nodded firmly and turned to her sisters.

"Ana, have you forgotten how to properly clothe yourself? Where is your cloak? And your hat? Tanya, you as well? Come, the trip may be long and I want to make sure you do not catch something, I've no desire to listen to you whine like the last time." Olga scolded Anastasia who stuck her tongue out at the girl furiously, but Tatiana seemed to understand and shuffled off back to the rooms without protest. The guard turned as he heard the commotion and Calypso strode past him, offering up a smile.

"Afraid the girls are having trouble with their wardrobe. I'm sure they can manage without me." He nodded her past with a disinterested grunt and Calypso ducked down the hallway, moving quickly to the stairs. She didn't know what she might find downstairs and the fear itself was making it hard for her to breathe. She passed the fireplace on her way and, on a whim, grabbed the iron rod used to stoke the coals. It may not offer her much protection, but it was bound to be better than going downstairs with nothing at all.

The house was eerily silent as she crossed to the final set of stairs that would lower her into the belly of the house. It lacked any light, being the oldest portion of the home, and no candles had been provided to light her path. Only a faint glow near the bottom illuminated the gray steps at all, signaling there would at least be some reveal at the end. With her sweating palms gripping the poker, she descended the stairs. The old boards creaked and groaned, denying any hope she had for a silent approach. The stairs turned near the bottom, giving her no hint of what lay in wait, the chill of the stone room beyond her sight caused her to shiver. She had to pause and take a deep breath before turning the corner.

And then she stepped out into the light, her hands rising to bring the rod into a defensible position.

"Tutor?" One of the guards stood near the base of the stairs, and noticed her immediately. "What are you doing?" His voice had hardened and his gaze narrowed suspiciously. There were more guards further in, but they looked just as surprised to see her carrying a coal poker as though she intended to fence with it. The Czar was further in, Alexi in his arms. The boy drowsed sleepily, but with his wounds still healing, would have been unable to stand on his own. Alexandra was leaning against the wall; the early hour was no doubt, poor for her health.

"Calli," the older woman spoke, her voice cross. "These brutes have roused us from our beds and forced us to stand here for near an hour. They have ignored each and every one of my demands for a place to sit, someone needs to speak with the commander about this at once. This cannot be good for Alexi's circulation-"

"Mama, I am alright." Alexi said in the irritable tone of a teenager who was being overly coddled. None of the family looked pleased to be there in the dim and damp basement, but neither did they look to be in any terrible danger. While it was poorly lit, it was not so poor that there were any lingering shadows where something could hide.

"What are you doing with that miss?" The guard at the foot of the stairs had stepped forward now, still eyeing her weapon.

"I didn't…I didn't realize what was happening. I thought we were in danger." Something flitted across the guards face, but it vanished quickly.

"Of course not. You are here for your own protection. As for the chairs, they have already been sent for. There is no need to send your servant for them." The guard plucked the poker out of her hands and tossed it aside. There was a tiny tremor of relief as she let herself hope that perhaps the Doctor had been wrong, just this one time.

"Ah, and here they are." He gestured to the guards who marched down with two chairs; they were quickly followed by the sisters. Calypso felt that nagging fear again, Olga met her gaze briefly, worry outlined in her strained face. Calypso could offer her no reassurance. There didn't appear to be any danger, but she had no way of knowing what that meant.

"About time," Nicholas bristled as he set his son gently on one of the chairs and helped his wife into another. "Now, my family is here, tell me what this nonsense is all about. It is a ridiculous hour to frighten us all with stories of battle."

"Yes," the commander, Yurovsky, marched down the steps with purpose. He was a stern looking man, with a beard that rivaled even Rolf's, but there was no mistaking the commander. "Emperor Nicholas. I apologize for the rude awakening." He said 'emperor' with contempt, none of the other guards referred to him as anything but 'Nicholas', pleased that the man had been stripped of his royalty. But it was only the commander who chose to make it a painful reminder of all that had been lost whenever they spoke. Nicholas bristled at the man and stood straighter.

"Why have you brought us here?"

"Your execution has been ordered by the Bolshevik's." He said the words casually, as though he were remarking on the weather. It almost looked as though he were smiling. "You and your entire family."

"What?" Nicholas' eyes grew wide as he searched the man's face for some sign of deceit. When he found none, he looked to his wife, the fear for both himself and his family evident from the way he shook his head wordlessly.

Calypso swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, now it was clear to her what the Doctor was trying to warn her of. The words he had tried to speak before he had been interrupted. The Romanov's, once monarch's of Russia, were going to die in this basement, and now she was going to die along with them.


	35. Siberia Part 3

**A/N: I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry! Rude author is rude!**

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><p><strong>- 1918 -<strong>

**- Siberia -**

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><p>"However," there was some reprisal in Yurovsky's tone and Calypso clung to it desperately. "We feel you would be of more use to us alive." The way he smiled made Calypso's heart go cold. It was not the smile of a man who intended to save them, no matter what he said. His pistol was still leveled at Nicholas' head and they stood frozen, uncertain of what to do next. She was afraid to breathe at all, thinking that any movement might set off the firing squad, but she was desperate to do something even as her heart raced in her chest. "Gentlemen." Yurovsky looked over his shoulder to the guards who were lined up opposite of the family. "It is time to change." They didn't ready their weapons, which Calypso half expected, despite the strange order. Instead, their faces began to change, melting strangely away. It wasn't just their faces that shifted though, Calypso noticed with growing horror, their bodies changed as well until she realized that the faces were again starting to become recognizable.<p>

She blinked several times, thinking there must be something wrong with her eyes. She turned her head to look at the family behind her, and then now, at the same family before her, the only difference was that the ones across from them were still wearing their guard uniforms, and were still armed. Her chest tightened as she saw even herself portrayed across the room, the same long dark hair and olive skin. They even mimicked how gaunt she looked now, with her poor nutrition and lack of sleep. What made her skin crawl was seeing her own bright green eyes reflected back at her, familiar, and yet not. Only Yurovsky remained himself, still wearing that smug grin as he enjoyed the rising panic from the rest of the family.

"You can't do this. I will not let you!" Nicholas barked as he charged forward, not understanding what was happening, but knowing that this man intended to hurt his family. The officer squeezed the trigger and sent a bullet straight through the former czar's skull with a sharp crack that echoed in the tiny basement. The girls screamed at the noise, and the spray of blood that shot out at them and against the wall. The screams turned more frantic as the man they knew as their father slumped and fell forward, his body lifeless as he hit the ground. Calypso just stared in silence, unable to make a sound. Unable to comprehend that all of this was really happening. Whatever hopes she'd had for a last minute reprisal were dashed away as a puddle slowly grew around Nicholas' head. This is what the Doctor had meant, had tried to warn her of. The guards were not meant to protect them, they weren't even _human_. The family had been brought here to be executed.

"He was only going to be a bore." Yurovsky said in a tired voice, trying to speak above the screaming sisters as he tucked his pistol away in his holster.

"Nicholi!" Alexandra finally stopped shrieking long enough to call her husband's name. She dropped from the chair she had been sitting on and crawled over to his still form, weeping as she went.

"Who are you?" Calypso dragged her eyes away from Alexandra as she cradled Nicholas' head, staining her gowns with blood as she rocked back and forth. "_What_ are you?" Her eyes shifted from the officer to his guards.

"It is not important. We have use for your position in Earth's hierarchy. That is all you need to know." He said with the same unpleasant grin.

"But this…this is impossible." Calypso shook her head, knowing how fruitless it was to say. Not believing it could happen didn't make the men change back any faster. She had seen it with her own eyes, refusing to accept it didn't make anything different. Still, she was no closer to understanding it.

"Quite the contrary. It is not only possible, but also relatively simple to accomplish with your elementary species. Vinvocci, now, _those_ people are a challenge." He nodded thoughtfully. Calypso didn't suspect now was the appropriate time to mention that she didn't share a species with the rest of the family, it would make little difference for any of them. "Now, I'm afraid people will grow suspicious with two sets of the Romanov's roaming around, so we will need to amend that here. Gentlemen at the ready," He said with a grin, raising his hand and the rifles rose up to aim at the family once more. Despite looking like their mirror, it was no less certain that they were facing a firing squad.

The small window in the high corner of the room burst open, shattering glass falling to the stone floor as a man in a brown pinstripe suit dropped to the floor in an uncoordinated flop.

"Hello!" he managed to catch himself before landing on his hands and knees, straightening to his full height. "Hi, am I late? No, course not. Always right on time. Helps when you're a lord of time," he said smugly, brushing the dust and glass from his sleeves. "Hello Calypso, how have-" his words trailed away as his brown eyes caught the blood spray and followed it to the source on the floor where Alexandra still knelt with her husband clutched in her arms. The Doctor swallowed once and looked up at Calypso again, a wave of guilt smothering the cheer he had arrived with. "I'm…I'm so sorry." His eyes turned to the rest of the family, realizing in fact, he had arrived a moment too late.

"What is the meaning of this?" Yurovsky barked, dragging the pistol back out to aim at the Doctor. "Who are you?" The rest of the guards kept their weapons at the ready, but looked unsure of what they should do about the newcomer. The Doctor's eyes narrowed as he strode forward until the gun was nearly touching his chest.

"I'm the Doctor, and I'm giving you exactly _one_ chance to stop what you're doing before I stop you myself."

"Ah," the man smiled, giving a soft chuckle. "Yes, the _Doctor_. I have heard of you before. You are quite the busy man. But I'm afraid there is little you can do. We are well armed as you can see," he nodded for his men to continue. Calypso felt her heart in her throat as she watched the two men standoff, feeling completely helpless. The Doctor was just as likely to be gunned down as the rest of them now, and there was little that could change that.

"I'm warning you." The Doctor raised his sonic screwdriver, flipping up a switch on the side causing it to whir angrily. "You've got less than three seconds."

"A biorefractor?" Yurovsky asked with a frown, his hand still poised in the air, waiting to drop to give the order to fire. "You're _bluffing_. You would kill the mortals as well." He said suspiciously, and then nodded, as though convincing himself as he dropped his hand.

Simultaneously, the Doctor pressed his thumb against the trigger and shouted "Down!" at Calypso. Her knees buckled as a reflex and she fell to the floor. A blue light exploded out from the screwdriver a moment later and her ears popped as the pressure in the room pulsed and shook the foundations of the building. The candles all extinguished themselves and plunged them into darkness and the screams of the girls were cut to silence. Calypso's eyes strained in the dark, struggling to see if the guns had fired somehow and she'd managed not to hear them.

"Calypso? You alright?" The Doctor's voice called out in the gloom.

She pushed herself up from the ground where she had landed shakily, unsure for the moment how to answer. "I…I think I'm okay." She reached out in the darkness and found the Doctor's hand grasping for her own. It felt reassuringly solid and she let out a relieved sigh as he helped her to her feet. She stumbled as she rose, nearly falling but the Doctor's arms were there to catch her. Now her heart was racing for some entirely different reasons.

"Guess it's a bit dark," he mumbled near her ear and she heard the sonic whirring again as the lanterns reignited. "There," he held her chin and tilted her face to the side, inspecting her carefully. "Everything seems to be in order." He grinned, brushing his hand against her cheek. "Tried to give me a bit of a scare there."

"Like to keep things exciting." Calypso smiled faintly, her thoughts going to the beaded necklace around her throat and wondering how many the Doctor had to her twelve.

"What have you done?" Alexandra's hushed voice interrupted their quiet moment and Calypso stepped back, untangling herself from the Doctor's arms. The rest of the family, along with the guards who had threatened them, had collapsed to the floor. Unconscious or dead, she wasn't sure.

"Doctor, the family, are they-"

"Oh, they're quite alright." He nodded soundly. "The pulse was only meant to effect certain types of organic matter, specifically types that have been exposed to extraterrestrial radiation." He gave her a warning look that suggested if she hadn't ducked in time, she might have been much worse off.

"What have you _done_?" Alexandra released her husband as she searched her children for signs of life, tears streaked down her face and her eyes were wild. Calypso reached out to reassure her but the woman swatted her hand away.

"Now, just, calm down." The Doctor spoke soothingly as Alexandra rose to her feet, looking surprisingly dangerous for a woman her age. "They're all alright. Mind you they'll have a bit of a headache when they wake, but nothing like the Synchoflax here they'll not be-" he stopped himself as Calypso raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Er. Yes. The bad men. They won't be getting up. And what's important is that they won't be hurting you or your family." He smiled, but if anything, Alexandra seemed more hostile as she reached Alexi who had slumped in his chair, but was slowly showing signs of stirrings.

"What kind of madness is this?" She asked suspiciously as she dragged the back of her hand across her face, drying her eyes. "Witchcraft?"

"Yes! Brilliant, exactly witch-" his grin faded suddenly. "Hang it, when are we? Early 20th century? Oh sure, you were a fan of all that sorcery stuff. Yes. Witchcraft it is. But the _good_ kind." He nodded resolutely. "Calypso, if you could get everyone up, I'm afraid we need to get going. Sooner or later someone's bound to wonder what's happened, and ideally, we'll be far far away." He ran halfway up the stairs to investigate their only exit and Calypso nodded, turning to the girls.

"Callie?" Olga asked, blinking the grogginess out of her eyes. "What's happened?" Calypso helped her to sit up while Olga held her head as though she were afraid it would fall off. "I…I saw a light…"

"A sorcerer." Alexandra said resolutely as she helped her boy sit upright, she still looked dubious.

"It's okay." Calypso turned to them both. "He's my friend. He's come from the village. He's here to keep us safe." Her eyes lingered on Nicholas' body only for a moment. With Olga's help, Calypso managed to wake the rest of the girls, all who were equally upset and frightened about what had happened. Calypso was just relieved that they were too shocked to think to ask too many questions, questions she didn't really have answers for.

"Yes, right then. Everybody up?" The Doctor jumped down three stairs and landed heavily on the hard floor, stuffing the sonic back into his pocket. He gave a nod of approval as he saw they were all upright. "Good. We need to move quickly if there's to be a chance. And," he paused looking to Alexandra more seriously. "I'm sorry, but once you leave this room, I'm afraid you and your family are no longer Romanov's. Not if you want to survive."

"Are you after the crown?" She leveled him with an intimidating glare that even Calypso felt herself shrinking back from. It was obvious from the way she stood between the Doctor and her family that she still didn't trust him, she was determined to keep them safe.

"No. But _they_ were." He pointed to the guards sprawled on the floor that still looked chillingly like the family. Only Yurovsky looked like himself, though he too was unmoving on the ground. "And I imagine they weren't the only ones here. I don't know the extent of their plans, but I can say with some certainty, they probably weren't good."

"But they changed…" Alexandra stared at the forms on the floor.

"Yes, they did. And I'm sorry but I haven't really the time to get into that." The Doctor beckoned her urgently toward the stairs. Calypso started forward, Olga following close behind, she hoped that maybe by leading they would all just follow. Alexandra looked at the Doctor for a long moment before turning her attention to Calypso.

"You say you know this man?" She asked in a clipped tone.

"Yes," Calypso stopped in her tracks and nodded quickly.

"And you would trust him? Trust him with my life, and the lives of my children?"

"Absolutely," she nodded quickly and the Doctor gave her an appreciative smile. "I do your highness."

"Well," she said after a long pause. "It's not highness anymore." She turned her gaze back to the Doctor. "Not if we're to survive anyway."

"Atta girl- Er…lady. Ma'am." The Doctor corrected himself quickly under the scrutinizing look from Alexandra. "We need to get into town first, and then the train. That should be the fastest way out. Come on." Alexandra, showing surprising strength, took Alexi's arm over her shoulder and helped him toward the stairs while the rest of the girls followed. "Allons-y!" The Doctor said with a wink as he grabbed Calypso's hand and led her upward.


	36. Siberia Part 4

**- 1918 - **

**- Siberia -**

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><p>"Alright," the Doctor said as he peered out the small windows looking onto the platform from the last car of the train. "Looks like we're in the clear. For now."<p>

Calypso saw there was a gradual change in scenery outside as the world, or the train itself, begin to move. No one had managed to find them buried back in the luggage cart as they were. There had been a few close calls when the doors had opened to allow last minute bags to be loaded up, but they hadn't gone much further than the first few racks. The reason they had been forced to hide, was because it had become clear that someone or some_thing_ had discovered the bodies in the basement, and knew something had gone wrong. When the Doctor brought them to the station, there was an abundance of extra guards, ready to check all tickets as the passengers loaded onto the train. It was impossible to know who among them were the strange creatures who had attacked them in the basement, and who were humans, but no less dangerous to the family.

Simply purchasing tickets would be foolish, since they would likely be recognized, but the Doctor hadn't seen this as much of a hurdle. With a surprising amount of ease, he'd managed to sneak each of them into the station without raising any alarm, and subsequently, onto the train itself. He'd done it all so casually that Calypso suspected that this was something the Doctor had made into a regular activity, which would not astonish her in the least.

"What is our next course of action then?" Alexandra, however, was continuing to surprise Calypso. For a woman who spent much of her time ill, she had never seen someone pull themselves together after disaster quite like the former empress. Tatiana and Maria both had dissolved into tears on the way to the train station, and Alexandra had been there to offer soft but firm words to quiet their sobs. Calypso couldn't blame the girls, they had just watched their father gunned down, and had nearly joined him. And now they were on the run. There had been no time for mourning, or even a moment to breathe. The most calm they'd experienced in the past four hours was now, as they were crowded together in the dusty and poorly lit corner of the baggage car.

"Blending in," the Doctor said quickly. "Odds are they've passed word along for anyone who might spot us. But it's also likely their reach doesn't extend much beyond the city. If we find a place to sit for the trip, we should be able to walk off with the rest of the passengers without raising much of a fuss. Though…" He looked carefully between the girls, a frown etching his features. "We may need to erm…wear some scarves to cover up." He suggested tactfully. Calypso realized that it wasn't so much the disguise he was concerned with, but the fact that both Anastasia and Tatiana, along with their mother, were streaked with dried blood. Not exactly something that would help with their plan to go unnoticed.

"I'll find something to clean them up." Olga understood immediately and stood to go search through the bags while Alexandra tried comforting Maria who had started to sniffle again.

"Thank you, that would be lovely." The Doctor stepped back, giving Alexandra and her family some space to recuperate. "So," he turned to Calypso, speaking quietly. "How many is it then?" He asked with a smile on his face. "Visits, that is."

"Twelve," she couldn't help but return the smile. It was one of the only constants in her travels. The Doctor himself, and knowing exactly how many beads she had on her necklace.

"Ah," he pulled his own cord from a pocket. "Eight here. I'll catch up to you yet." He said with a wink. "It's nice to see you keeping busy," he nodded toward the family as Olga returned with a canteen and spare cloth to scrub at her younger sisters faces while Alexandra tended to herself. He raised his eyebrow. "If not altogether _safe_."

"Yes, well. It's a bad habit I picked up from an old friend."

His scolding look faded under a grin. "Calypso, you're quite-"

"I think we're ready." Olga drew his attention away and Calypso couldn't help but feel a little crushed at her timing. But now clearly wasn't the moment to languish over what the Doctor might have said and she dismissed the feeling.

"Brilliant," he nodded in approval. "Let's move through the cars then. Remember, keep your heads down and _don't_," he pointed at them warningly. "Talk to anyone." He backed up to give them room to file past and they marched to the only door leading toward the rest of the train. He stepped forward to open the door and the thunderous roar of the wheels beating against the tracks nearly drowned out Calypso's ability to think. The connection between the two cars was a narrow iron bar and Alexandra looked at the Doctor questioningly.

"It's this or the luggage," the Doctor shouted to be heard over the noise. "And it'll go a lot smoother on the other end if we blend." He shrugged. She took a deep breath and pulled the shawl from around her shoulders, wrapping it up over her head. Then without hesitating again, took a step across. Her knuckles were white as she reached for the railing on the next car, but she did manage to grasp it and climb onto the small metal platform. When she reached for the door though, it remained shut. She looked back over her shoulder, concern on her face.

"Ah, yes. Sorry, here," he reached into his jacket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver, aiming it at the latch which clicked open and turned under Alexandra's grip easily. She was still bothered by the device, but thought better of saying anything and pushed the door wide. There were a few passengers on the other side, bewildered by their sudden appearance. But the car was largely empty, and after a moment they became disinterested once again. She gestured for Alexei next, who needed to be handed between them even for the single step that he needed to take. The rest of the girls followed and then it was Calypso's turn. Her stomach clenched tight as she stood on the shaking connection, certain that any moment the train would bounce in an unexpected direction and throw her down to the tracks below. Even with her heart racing, and her fear pushing her forward, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye.

"Doctor?" She said, being sure to keep her grip tight on the railing, she turned to look. It was a vehicle, much like the one that had been at the house. And it was driving toward the train quite rapidly. It wouldn't have been so alarming if it hadn't been clear that they were following no coursed road. It could just be a strange coincidence, but she couldn't shake the nagging feeling that it wasn't.

"Yes, I see it." The Doctor's voice sounded grim, even as he had to shout. "Best keep moving." He gave her an encouraging nod and she crossed the gap completely. Their best disguise would be people, and lots of them. He followed closely behind, shutting and locking the door after them, and greeting a few of the passengers with a friendly smile before they continued on.

When Calypso next looked for the truck, she found it had disappeared and for a moment, felt relief flood through her. She hoped that it meant that the fretting she had done was all in her head. As they crossed to the next car, the Doctor paused to stick his head out of one of the windows, much to the consternation of the passenger who happened to be seated directly in front of it.

"Sod it." He scowled as he moved back away.

"What's wrong?" Calypso asked, when he didn't immediately answer, she too leaned over the same disgruntled man to see outside. It became clear what the problem was, the truck was now running parallel to the train, and as she watched, there appeared to be a man gradually climbing out of the back and onto the train itself. That couldn't be a good sign.

"We're taking on more passengers." The Doctor said darkly, running his hand through his hair in what Calypso had come to recognize as a nervous gesture. "It's alright, we're with the post commission," he flipped out his psychic paper as the man they had upset started to rise from his chair to formally complain. The Doctor put a heavy arm on his shoulder and looked at him very seriously. "Trying to make sure the Loyalists aren't stealing important government papers. Best not to interfere with that sort of thing." The man paled and shook his head quickly. "Course not. Thank you for your time. As you were." He took Calypso by the arm and led her to the end of the car where the Romanov's were waiting, wondering what had held them up.

"Alright, I want you all to keep going," the Doctor spoke quickly, another sign that he was worried. "And quickly." Alexandra didn't need to be told twice as she opened the door and continued to cross. It was made somewhat easier now that there was a small platform between passenger cars, and the doors were unlocked so they wouldn't need the sonic screwdriver. But when the Doctor turned to leave, Calypso felt her chest seize.

"Wait," she said, grabbing for his arm. "Where are you going?"

"I'm…" he seemed to think about it before answering. "Going to go buy us some time. Might be able to convince them they're just chasing smoke and shadows. Not exactly a plan, but I'll play it by ear." He shrugged and turned to go again, but Calypso's grip tightened.

"You can't think to go back there alone." She said with a frown, her chest constricting even tighter at the thought.

His face softened. "I'm sorry, I've-"

"Doctor. I'm not leaving you." She said to make her meaning more clear. She, and the family as well, were only still alive because of him. More important than all that though, was the fact that it was _him_.

"Calypso," he placed his hand over hers with a small smile. "I've got to try. They don't know who I am, so I've got a chance. If they find you, any of you, people are going to get hurt. Not just them," he nodded to the family as they continued to trickle through the door, the wind whistling through the opening. "But a lot of innocent people as well."

She wanted to argue with him, but she knew she had no excuse that he couldn't easily brush aside. "Alright," she finally said, her jaw tight. He relaxed into a smile and let go of her, but she didn't. "But promise me. Promise you won't get yourself hurt."

The Doctor's face fell as understanding dawned on him. He opened his mouth to give some smart response, something that would make her smile and forget the very real danger he was putting himself in.

"_Promise_ me." There was no way she was going to let him take another step away from her unless he knew exactly how much she meant it.

"Alright," he finally said. "Cross my hearts." He gave half a smile as he crossed his free hand over his chest. Of course, it was an impossible thing to promise. She knew that as well as he did, but it still gave her some relief. She had needed to hear him say the words. Because hopefully, before he tried to do anything foolish, as he had a habit of doing, he would remember what he had said. If she were very lucky, that might keep him safe.

"Thank you." She tried to return the smile, but it was hard to manage. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it once before releasing her again.

"Off you go." He said, turning and heading for the back of the car at a jog.

"Calypso?" Olga was still waiting patiently, despite how nervous she looked.

"Yes, I'm sorry. Let's go." Calypso said as she followed, Olga looked once back where the Doctor had disappeared but decided against asking. She kept the family moving, gradually growing closer to the front of the train where more and more people were bustling around. Trying _not_ to think about the Doctor wasn't working, and she grew more nervous as they went. When they had gone another two car lengths, she stopped to look back as she waited for the girls to move on to the next door. Letting her anxiety get the best of her, she stuck her head out the window again.

The truck was closer now, which she hadn't expected, and a second man was leaping from the cab to the moving train. They were trying to surround them, clearly the Doctor had done something to get their attention.

She had to go back, had to at least warn him, if not do something about it. What that might be, she wasn't sure yet. But that's when she saw the driver start to gesture forward wildly, it only took her another half second to realize he was pointing at _her_. The driver was directing the man who had just leapt onto the train to where his quarry was, and she had made it easy.

Calypso muttered a sharp oath as she ducked back inside the train, but she knew it was too late. She'd been seen, and it was only a matter of time before they came this way. At least that solved the problem of the Doctor being surrounded for now, but she had a hard time being particularly pleased about that.

"Callie?" Olga was still waiting for her at the door. "What is it? Do we need to go back for your friend?" It warmed her heart to know that Olga would be willing to do so, even if they both knew it was a poor choice.

"No." Calypso shook her head quickly, her mind raced to think of what to do. "He's okay. It's our trouble now, there is another man on the train. They've spotted me." Could they properly protect themselves if caught? Calypso was certain she could try, but it was not such a far stretch to imagine that the man would be armed, something they'd be unable to defend against. Hiding seemed to be their only option, but she couldn't see how. The luggage cart was far behind, and now, two guards were between them and the back of the train, and there were only more passenger cars moving forward.

"Take…take Alexei and the girls to the next car." Calypso found herself formulating a plan as she went, hoping it would be enough. "You and your mother stay here." She looked at Olga very seriously. "None of you sit together though, sit with strangers. Hide your faces as best you can, with a paper, or your shawl." Whoever was after them was likely to recognize the family, hopefully, they would also recognize Calypso herself. If she could lead the man back through the train, perhaps that would buy the Doctor enough time to destroy them, just like he had back at the house.

She gripped Olga's shoulders tight, trying not to tremble as she did so. If they failed to chase after her, their only hope was that the guards would not look too closely at individuals, only for a frightened family clustered together. But if they _did _recognize one of them…well, she would just have to come up with another plan if that came to pass.

"Do you understand?" Olga looked so much younger for a moment, frightened. Then she looked back over her shoulder where her family was waiting patiently for them to rejoin. Her resolve steeled and she gave a sharp nod. "Good. I will be back." She promised.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"To lead them on a merry chase." Calypso said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Are you sure?" Olga's fears began to creep back again. "We can find some other way-"

"No. Trust me, my friend. This will work." She hugged Olga tightly, as much to reassure herself as the girl. "It will be okay."

Olga gripped her hard before she could let go. "Stay safe, _sestra_." She whispered in her ear. Calypso's eyes prickled sharply as she pulled away, but she blinked the tears back and smiled before heading the way they had come. She stepped out onto the small platform and shut the door behind her, the wind whipping her skirts around her ankles and the roar of the train competing with her pounding heartbeat. Instead of crossing the gap, she waited. Her eyes on the slender ladder that would lead up to the roof of the train.

Even the idea of it was terrifying, but she had come up with no other plan, and she had all the motive in the world to try just then. She only waited a minute before she saw irregular movement in the train car she was facing, and recognized him from the beard. It was Rolf. He was pushing his way through the cart, giving anyone suspicious a thorough looking at, and that's when she caught his eye. Recognition flickered over his face, followed by fury.

Calypso took a deep breath, made harder by the wind trying to steal it back from her, and hooked her foot securely over the first rung of the ladder. When she was certain it would not crumble beneath her, she released the railing, and brought her other foot over. Now there was nothing beneath her and the underside of the train but a thin, and badly peeling metal rod. But she couldn't wait any longer, less he catch her and pull her tumbling down. She bit the inside of her lip and began to climb as fast as she dared.


	37. Siberia Part 5

**A/N: You know that thing where you go on a four week binge of every BBC period drama ever made and you forget what real life is? What? No. Me neither. P.S. they really do just have the save dozen or so actors that they reuse in everything. Really. **

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><p><strong>- 1918 -<strong>

**- Siberia -**

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><p>The train hurtled forward, bouncing along on its tracks and threatening to toss Calypso over the side with nearly every step she took. The wind rushing past her pushed her skirts between her legs, adding an extra burden. She was starting to regret her decision. The door below slammed and the sound of boots on metal made her certain Rolf had followed her. There was no time to sit around cringing about what a terrible idea she'd had, because if she did, he was bound to catch up.<p>

The first gap between the cars approached and she nearly lost her nerve. It was a slightly smaller gap than the one she had crossed below, because now there was an overhang that served as a small roof, but there was also no iron link to walk across, just empty air. The idea of climbing back down crossed her mind, but she could hear the heavy footsteps of Rolf marching determinedly forward, slowly, but with none of the hesitation she felt. She bit back a scream, bunched up her skirts as best she could, and took an extra step to fling herself forward. She landed, and then immediately fell forward on her hands and knees. She let out a shaky breath, reassuring herself that she really had made it, and paused just long enough to thank whatever gods were still watching over her.

But then she was pushing herself up, continuing on. Her pace quickened as she grew used to the jostling of the locomotive, widening her stance so she could better compensate for the unexpected jolts from below. She made good time then, hoping to put more distance between her and Rolf. She didn't dare to look back though, knowing if she lost her concentration for a moment, it might mean her spilling over the side. She nearly did anyway, when the train took a sharp turn, pushing her sideways and she immediately dropped to her knees so she wouldn't go sliding off the metal roof completely.

"Why not stop?" Rolf called loudly from behind her, his booming voice just barely discernible over the roar of the train and wind. She looked over her shoulder to see that he too, had taken a fall, though he wasn't nearly as far away as she'd hoped. "Just tell me where they are. We don't need you. If you make things easy, we can let you go." He promised as he pushed himself to his feet again.

Calypso shook her head, getting upright and coming as close to a jog as she dared. She knew Rolf was lying; whoever, or whatever these things were, they relied on secrecy and deception. Letting her live after she knew the truth, no matter how insane it may sound, was not an option. The real dilemma, was to figure out if she could buy them more time by playing along, or would he just dispose of her up here on top of the train. It wasn't an especially cheering thought, but it was something she needed to think about, and fast. Because with a growing sense of dismay, she realized she was approaching the last car.

She leapt across the gap quickly, which she realized was a mistake when she landed hard on her ankle, twisting it enough that it collapsed and sent her rolling to the side. She managed to stop, but not before her head dipped over the edge. Forcing her to stare out into the rocky hard ground below that went zipping by. With shaking hands, she pushed herself back and upright again, so that she could move forward. It was all she could do to fight for control of the anxiety that wanted her to plaster herself flat in the center of the rail car and never move again. She walked to the end of the train, already formulating a new plan. This last car was the one they had hid in when they got on the train initially, if she could hide herself well enough, she might be able to sneak up behind Rolf and incapacitate him so she could find the Doctor. Then he could come up with a more permanent solution as to what to do.

Dropping to her knees, she grasped the edge, ready to descend the ladder as quickly as she could. But there didn't seem to be any ladder at all. She blinked several times, certain that she had just somehow missed it. She grasped a handful of her hair to keep it from billowing around her face as a distraction, but still, there was no ladder. With a heavy metallic thud, she turned to see Rolf had jumped the last gap, it was now too late for her to retreat back the way she had come.

"End of the line." He said with a grin. She searched desperately one last time, but he was right, there was nowhere else to go. Swallowing, she pushed herself to her feet once again, taking a step away from the edge. She tried to calm the beating of her heart enough so when she turned around she didn't look as terrified as she felt, but she was unsure if she had been successful.

"Alright," she said, raising her hands defensively. "I'll tell you." Rolf sneered, as though the answer no longer interested him. He had probably _never_ been all that interested, but she needed time to think of something that could possibly give him pause. "They're…they're not on the train. We've sent them in a covered truck to Aramil. They're meeting up with the White army's general tomorrow, at noon." She lied desperately, but she had apparently been somewhat convincing because a look of fear briefly crossed Rolf's face.

"Then it's too late for you," he snarled as he marched forward, reaching for the pistol that was holstered on his hip.

"I can help," she fought the urge to back away, knowing that there was nothing but an unpleasant fall over the edge that awaited her in that direction. "I can help you get into the camp." Something beyond Rolf caught her attention, a familiar tuft of brown hair rising up from the edge of the car. Her hope flickered to life again, but she tried to ignore it, returning her gaze to the man in front of her so as not to give him warning.

"Think you're just playing games now," he said with a scowl, it was only another step before he'd been within arm's length, and there was nothing she could do about it. "You've been a real pain in the arse. You know what? Think I'll make sure you're sorry for it." He brought the pistol up, but instead of aiming directly at her, it looked as though he were aiming for her leg. He was clearly not content to give her a quick death. Calypso took a deep breath, reminding herself that if it was at all possible, she should try and fall forward.

"Pardon me," the Doctor spoke up suddenly, earning a look of disbelief from Rolf as he slowly turned around. "Yes, I'm sorry. It appears you were pointing a gun at my friend." His voice suddenly darkened. "Don't do that." The arm he'd hidden behind his back was swinging around, hurtling toward Rolf's face where it, and the kettle the Doctor was holding, collided with his cheek with a loud CLANG. Rolf's head snapped back, but once he shifted his jaw, he slowly turned to face the Doctor again. "Well…yes, blimey, you can take a hit." The Doctor said, a little surprised as he tossed the dented kettle over the side of the car. Rolf reached back and brought the butt of his pistol swinging for his head but the Doctor managed to duck back at the last second. He still caught his cheek though, and sent the Doctor reeling sideways.

"Who are you?" Rolf asked, looming over the Doctor who had fallen to his knees and just regained his balance enough to stop from tipping over the side. Calypso rushed forward, bringing her fists against the side of Rolf's head, hoping to cause something of a distraction so the Doctor could get up again.

"Calypso, don't!" The Doctor shouted as Rolf grabbed her by the back of the neck and slung her forward, she tripped over the Doctor's legs and slid down to the edge of the train car. She heard the buzz of the sonic as she scrabbled to grip the smooth metal of the train, her damp hands slowing her somewhat but she felt her feet drop over the edge, and then her knees.

"Got you!" Then he was there, grabbing her tight as her legs flailed over empty air. "I've got you." He said once more, as a promise. She nodded quickly and tried to find footing so that she could help him pull her back over. It was a bit of a struggle, but her foot finally found purchase and the Doctor pulled her up alongside him with a nervous laugh.

"Enjoy it while you can," Rolf was standing above them, recovered from whatever stun the Doctor had given him earlier. The Doctor rose to his knees, blocking Calypso from the pistol.

"I'm going to ask you one last time to stop. I mean it. No second chances." His voice was powerful as he spoke, and Rolf actually looked as though he was considering it for a moment.

"I don't think so." He said, his grin returning to his face.

"Have it your way." The Doctor said, spinning fluidly and dropping his arms over Calypso. "Stay down." He murmured next to her ear. For a moment, she didn't understand, but she could just see confusion register on Rolf's face before he turned to his left and was suddenly torn out of view. Before she could blink, they were submerged into darkness. The train echoed louder than before and she realized they must have found their way into a tunnel, the thought of it making her press her back even harder into the metal beneath her. She could almost feel the weight of the stone above them, threatening to collapse, crushing them slowly. But suddenly there was light and air and open skies and she let out the breath she had been holding in.

The Doctor raised his head and looked around, letting out a whooping laugh as he turned back to her, a wide grin stretching his lips.

"Well, that was close." He chuckled, looking over the back of the train. Calypso couldn't help but return the smile, albeit a little nervously. "Are you alright?" He asked focusing those brown eyes on her once more. She nodded quickly, very aware of how close he hovered above her.

"You're bleeding," she reached up before she could stop herself, the corner of his lip sparkled crimson where the pistol had clipped him. Her fingers just rested against his jaw where she thought she could see the beginning of a bruise start to blossom. He reached up and brushed it away with the back of his hand, examining the damage.

"Ah, that's hardly anything. Been in my share of spats." He shrugged with a smile. It was then that the Doctor also seemed to realize their proximity, though he didn't seem to be in any kind of hurry to change it. "Glad you're alright." He brushed back a strand of hair from her face and his dark gaze lingered on her mouth for a moment before returning to her eyes, somewhat guiltily. "Calypso, would it be terribly improper-"

"Absolutely not," she said as she slid her hand around the back of his neck and he pressed his lips into her own, the pounding of the train was suddenly unable to keep up with the tempo of her heart. She breathed him in as she ran her fingers through his hair, lips pressing hard against hers as he scooped his arm under her shoulder, holding her tight against his chest. But something was wrong. The sensations in her belly continued to writhe, but the ones against her skin had started to fade. She gripped him tighter but it didn't help, she finally stopped, opening her eyes and saw that the yellow glow was already consuming her. The Doctor pulled back, startled by her pause until he too recognized what was happening.

"Well that's just rubbish timing-" He said before he faded away completely.


	38. The Lost City of Z

_A/N: Hello there. I would just like to take a moment to sincerely apologize for leaving this hanging so long. I know it can be frustrating to wait and wait and never get any sort of idea if something's been completely abandoned willy nilly or not. Got a bit lazy with writing, and then slowly got started on updating my other fic for a bit. But now I'm in a routine of writing again, so ideally your wait time will now be reduced from the ridiculous FIVE FREAKING MONTHS that it has been in the past. Again, I really deeply apologize for that. For those of you who have stuck it out, thank you so much. You're all fantastic, and you're much better than I would be if the position were reversed. (I would have drafted and sent at least 3 dozen threatening emails by now, and as yet, I've received none) Anyway, onward! _

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><p><strong>- 1925 -<strong>

**- The Lost City of Z -**

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><p>She wasn't quite standing upright when she arrived, and so she toppled backward. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to find herself staring up at a familiar orange lit ceiling. She blinked, sure she must have made some mistake. But the soft whirring of the ship confirmed that she was, indeed, on the TARDIS, while it was traveling, despite her belief that such a thing was impossible.<p>

"Calypso?" The floppy haired Doctor had just spun around the console as she pushed herself up to her elbows, his hand frozen on a blue lever as he stared at her for a long moment. "How did you-" the ship made a grinding noise and he flinched, throwing the lever down so that the noises, and the shifting floor, shuddered to a stop. He then resumed his stare, a confused frown crinkling his brow.

"I…I don't know." She shook her head. She didn't know if she should be alarmed or happy, but it didn't seem to be something the Doctor had caused, given his current state of concern.

"Well, can't say that I'm sorry," his frown melted into a grin as she strode over, helping her to her feet. She was unhappy to have been snatched from the Doctor before, but she couldn't deny she was still happy to see _this_ man. "It is _good_ to see you." He murmured as he brought the back of her hand to his mouth and kissed it, shutting his eyes for a moment.

"I say good man, where in the blazes did she come from? Pardon my rudeness, madam." Calypso started as a man appeared from behind the console. He was older, but well maintained. Lean muscles stretched out on a tall frame and a well trimmed, if slightly graying beard, framed his face.

"Ah," the Doctor said turning, apparently only just then remembering that he had other guests aboard his ship. "Yes. Sorry. Introductions." The Doctor released Calypso's hands with what looked like a pang of regret as he gestured between the two of them. "This is my," he paused, looking back at Calypso with the hint of a smirk. "Very _special_ friend, Calypso. She's been through the ringer more times than I care to mention, and I can personally vouch for her being beautifully brilliant. And clever, and just generally remarkable." Calypso flushed at the excessive compliments, certain that he must be exaggerating. "And _this_ fine specimen, is the extraordinary Colonel Percy Fawcett. He's," the Doctor clapped his hands together and grinned exuberantly at the both of them. "An _adventurer_." The colonel nodded, clearly approving of the Doctor's enthusiasm. "He's looking for the lost city of Z. Isn't that brilliant?"

It was a place Calypso had never heard of, though that didn't mean it couldn't exist so she nodded politely.

"Lovely to meet you dear, hope you're ready to go rugged. Afraid it's a bit tetchy out there." The colonel nodded toward the TARDIS doors that remained shut before he turned to begin packing up a bag from a pile of miscellaneous items that were scattered across the floor.

"_Is_ there a lost city of Z?" She asked the Doctor quietly while the colonel was distracted.

"What? Oh, course not." The Doctor shook his head. "They moved that _ages_ ago. Can you imagine the trouble that would cause? An _entire_ city of gold, which surrounds a portal, _leading_ to an entire _planet_ of gold? Don't think humankind is _quite_ ready for a war of that magnitude, nor am I inclined to let them _start_ one." He said dangerously.

"What was that Doctor?" The colonel looked up suspiciously from his packing.

"Oh nothing," the Doctor smiled innocently. "Nothing at all. Just catching up. You know, adventurer…stuff. Ah, here come the rest of the troops-" Calypso looked up to see two young men walking out of a doorway from the balcony above. The fairer of the two nearly tumbled over the lip of the door, but the other caught his hand, and their grasp lingered a moment longer than necessary. "Hello boys." The Doctor said with a cheerful wave.

"Doctor, was she here before?" The man with dusty blond hair asked with a raised eyebrow. He was a beautiful man, and clean shaven, but it was clear from the angles of his face that he was related to the colonel somehow.

"No Jack, I'm afraid we've taken on another passenger for the ride. Not to worry, she's marvelous, though she does tend to pop in and out. On occasion. Anyway. Calypso, this is the colonel's son, Jack, and his friend, Raleigh Rimmell." The second man, who had dark hair neatly combed back and tanned skin, nodded politely.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, but I'm afraid you've come at a rather _bad_ time." Jack frowned, extending his left arm, which Calypso realized was bandaged over just below the elbow.

"Damnable _bugs_." The colonel muttered.

"They're not _bugs_." The Doctor corrected him. "They're a complex hive creature from the Crosynx system. And I've already told you that by jumping forward a handful of hours…_or_ months," he said as he made a face, glancing at the scanner. "Regardless, the trap that we inadvertently set off should have reset by now, and we'll easily avoid them this time round."

"Aye, that sounds like a sure fire plan. Remind me again, Doctor, what these 'hive creatures' look like?"

"Well…they…" the Doctor set a frown on his features as he realized that the colonel had trapped him. "Well I suppose they look a bit like scarabs, but that's _only_ because they're distant ancestors-"

"Bugs, my boy. Nasty flesh eating _bugs_."

"Yes. I mean, no, not really. Not at _all_. But if it helps. Yes." The Doctor rolled his eyes as he ruffled a hand through his hair. "Now, more _importantly_. Who wants to go find a lost city?" That wonder filled grin returned to his face.

"That's the ticket," the colonel said with an approving nod. "Boys, pack light. I get the feeling we'll want to travel fast."

Neither of the two younger men looked especially enthusiastic, but they both walked down the stairs and set to digging through the mess the colonel had created and began to organize some of the chaos.

"Now, we'll need to get you…dressed in something more appropriate." The Doctor said as he led Calypso to the far side of the room where a spiral staircase disappeared into the floor.

"Didn't…you say there _was_ no city?" He met her hesitance with a wide grin.

"Yes, I may have. Well, I _did_. But what I _didn't_ mention, was that they didn't just remove the city. They've _replaced_ it."

"With what?"

"I don't know," he certainly did have a particular zeal for the unknown that Calypso wasn't entirely sure she could get behind. "That's why it's so _brilliant_. Now, get yourself sorted down there- No, wait." He grasped her shoulders and stopped her from moving. "More importantly, how _did_ you end up here?" He stared deep into her eyes, as though he might divulge the answer simply by looking at her long enough.

"I really can't say, nothing different happened. One moment I was on the train-" he voice faltered, remembering exactly what she and the Doctor had been _doing_ on the train. But then she was remembering something else entirely. A frightened family, Olga's last words to her. "Are they alright? Did the family make it through alright?" She was suddenly desperate to know that they were okay, that the Doctor had managed to save them from the fate their father had befallen.

"Family?" He frowned. "No, hang on, I'll get this…train. Train…_oh_ of course. The _Romanov's_, that's why you're dressed as if for a _blizzard_. Yes. Yes, they're quite alright. They opened a small hotel in Spain, it was really quite lovely, I spent some time there in the thirties. Make a _fantastic_ banana foster." Calypso felt the tightness in her chest release as she took in a breath. They were safe, the Doctor had saved them. She hoped he'd been able to explain her sudden disappearance without causing them too much further distress. "Try and remember though, was there anything you were doing just before you-" The Doctor seemed to remember just a moment too late. "Oh. _Oh_." His look of surprise slowly spread into a grin. "Rubbish timing _indeed_."

"Afraid so." She allowed herself to smile.

"So then it must have been the TARDIS," he peered into the ceiling overhead as though that might provide some answers. "Wonder what she's up to." When the ship offered no response he half shrugged. "Well, something to sort out later, and I _mean_ to." He told her very seriously. "But for now, you'll have to change. Wardrobe at the bottom of the stairs-"

"Doctor…what am I changing into?" He blinked for a moment, and then smiled.

"Ah, yes, sorry. Perhaps I better explain," he walked her back to the front doors of the TARDIS and threw them wide for her. There was an abundance of green outside, but what she most immediately noticed was the sweltering heat that hit her like a wave. It was sticky and warm, and she could already feel the wool in her dress starting to scratch at her. "_We_ are in Brazil. Right along the north end of the Xingu River. And there are no paved roads, so you better find some sturdy boots while you're down there." He added thoughtfully. "She's likely got everything you need set aside though, she likes to take care of us." He patted the side of the ship and Calypso let her hand trail over the railing, feeling the glowing familiarity pulse against her like an old friend.

She turned to head for the stairs, but the Doctor caught her hand as she begin to leave, and pulled backward. The act unbalanced her and she fell flying forward, but the Doctor was ready to catch her, which suggested perhaps that had been his plan all along.

"And Calypso," he said and she found herself mesmerized by those thoughtful green eyes gazing down on her. She struggled to remember anything at all, the most important that was coming to mind was how to calm her racing heart before it exploded in her chest. "_Don't_ go disappearing while you're down there. I'd be very cross if you did." He smiled as he said it, but there was a sadness in his eyes. Then he brought his hands gently up to her face and pressed his lips against hers. There wasn't the nervous desperation there had been on the train. He was sure of himself, and gentle, and she melted into it. It was over too soon, but the rustling behind them reminded her that they weren't alone. "Sorry," he said absently as he watched her lips. "Couldn't quite help myself. But I gather we've been introduced this way before." His own lips curled into a grin.

"Yes, I imagine we have been." She couldn't help her own smile, nor did she particularly want to.

"Good. Now you best get changed before the boys finish up. The colonel in particular doesn't have an abundance of patience when it comes to his expeditions." He still had her face cupped between his hands though, making it difficult for her to do anything but linger in his gaze. "Blimey it's good to see you again." He said with a smile. Then he kissed her cheek gently and released her. "Off you go. See if she's got anything more _adventurer_ looking down there for me. I'm feeling a bit under dressed." He winked and she tried not to laugh, imagining the Doctor tromping through the humid jungles of Brazil in his bow tie and suspenders.


	39. Lost City of Z Part 2

**-1925-**

**-Lost City of Z-**

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><p>Gallivanting through the jungle, as exciting as it had sounded at first, was not nearly as much fun as Calypso had anticipated. The boiling heat was a unique experience. <em>Initially<em>. But it had quickly become the most unbearable obstacle, of which there were many. She couldn't even feel the sweat on her skin any longer, because nothing was actually _dry_. It was as though the air itself was just a hot damp towel, pressing against her whole body, and somehow invading her lungs. The thick foliage and uneven footing was making their progress nearly comparable to that of a snail, and yet she was still exhausted by it. They'd been turned back so many times, she wasn't even sure if they were still headed in the direction they had started in. To top off the progressively miserable experience, the Doctor continued to point out new and fascinating creatures as they appeared. It was delightful, until he mentioned that they were also absolutely deadly and should be avoided at all costs.

Calypso gulped out of the canteen she had brought with, the warm water doing little to refresh her. She caught sight of the one silver lining of this little expedition. The Doctor. Well, not exactly the Doctor so much as what he was wearing on his head. The TARDIS did have something a little more adventure-y in mind for the Doctor. It was an extraordinarily large canvas hat. He'd positively beamed when she brought it up from the closet. It hadn't come off his head since, unless he felt the need to use it to point out another deadly variety of frog. No matter how unpleasant this trip was becoming, she'd had to bite back a smile each time she saw it. It was difficult to decide if her favorite part was just the sheer elephant size of the thing, or the childlike exuberance the Doctor exhibited every time he remembered he was wearing it. Really, it was the only thing keeping her going, deeper and deeper into the jungle, with no idea if they'd actually find anything other than heatstroke.

"Did you hear that?" The Doctor stopped just in front of her so she had to stumble to a stop. They had been trudging up a particularly steep hill and she'd put most of her focus on putting one foot in front of the other but at least the path was largely cleared by the Colonel leading the way with his machete.

"I hear lots of things," she admitted with a shrug. The noise at first had been deafening, but she had gradually gotten used to it. The vegetation was constantly rustling with life, and the trees were filled with more chirps, howls, and bird calls than she could ever hope to identify.

The Doctor glanced down at her and smiled. "I suppose you do. Just thought it was…" he tasted the air carefully and shook his head. "Must be nothing. Come along, we've nearly made the top." He took Calypso's hand and helped hoist her over the tree root that was nearly as high as her hip. He still lingered, glancing back the way they had come.

"Doctor?" The Colonel was near the top of the hill already, and had noticed the his slow pace. "We need to get cracking if we're to make the lake by nightfall. No time to admire the view-"

"Might not be a bad thought to take a break. I could certainly use it." Jack suggested, giving Calypso a sympathetic smile, and Raleigh nodded his agreement.

"Listen boy, when you said you'd come along, I didn't think you were looking for a fancy holiday-"

"_Shh_!" The Doctor held out one finger, silencing them all. Calypso strained to hear anything unusual, but it was impossible to guess which of the strange noises she should be concerned with. The Doctor slowly pulled his sonic from his trouser pocket and set to scanning in a wide arc behind them. He glanced at it quickly before stuffing it back away and turning on his heel.

"My mistake," he said with a smile plastered on his face. He grasped Calypso's elbow as he caught up to where she had stopped. "Shall we?"

"Is something wrong?" She risked a glance back, but saw nothing out of the ordinary, and instead focused on keeping up the rapid pace the Doctor had suddenly adopted.

"Wrong? No, absolutely not. Nothing wrong whatsoever. Whatever gave you that silly idea? Things are absolutely spiffing." He said with the same giddy smile on his face. "I mean, look at this hat. It's _brilliant_. Never worn a hat like this before. And you're here, that's always lovel-"

"Doctor?" The Colonel spoke again, but this time his tone wasn't impatient. It was sharp with fear. Calypso saw that the man was staring past them and his face had gone an ashy gray. "It's…" Over the cacophony of the jungle, she started to hear it. It was a chirping sound, but not from the treetops, and not sparse and scattered like the others. It was a dull roar of chirps, all coming from the same direction behind them and it was growing louder.


	40. Lost City of Z Part 3

**-1925-**

**-Lost City of Z-**

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><p>Calypso turned, not sure what she expected to see. At first, there was nothing. Aside from the occasional shaking bush, it looked exactly as she had seen it only moments before. But then it became clear. Shadows were snaking through the trees and brush, dark inky stains on the otherwise colorful jungle floor. She squinted and saw they weren't shadows, they were moving too quickly for that. They were hundreds, or thousands, of little black spots, sweeping over the ground like a oozing river. And they were closing the distance to where they stood quicker than she'd like.<p>

"What is it?" She whispered, unable to tear her eyes from the onyx pool that was spreading toward them.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. Just a bit of… an alien flesh-eating beetle horde. It's fine. Just in case it's not though, I suggest we run." The Doctor said as he grabbed her hand firmly in his own and started to sprint up the hill. "_Run_!" He repeated as the Colonel continued to stand there, fear momentarily rooting him to the spot. Jack and Raleigh both jumped to action immediately, and the Colonel followed soon after.

"I thought you said they'd bloody well be gone!" The Colonel barked over his shoulder, his moment of panic quickly being replaced with attitude. "There's even _more _of the sodding things now!"

"Yes, well…I was wrong, wasn't I?" The Doctor shouted, risking a glance back over his shoulder. "We can all have a laugh about that later, after we get out of here!"

Jack and Raleigh stumbled to a stop at the top of the hill, looking unsure as to what to do.

"Was I unclear before? _Run_!" The Doctor repeated.

"Where? Your ship is four miles back through them!" The Colonel shouted as he too reached the top. "There's nothing but jungle this way."

The Doctor and Calypso crested the hill and saw it was true, it was more of the same, save a large cleared patch maybe a few hundred meters away. "That way." The Doctor said, pointing toward the clearing.

"There's nothing out there, they'll get us even faster there!" Raleigh protested.

"That's not a clearing," the Doctor frowned at it suspiciously. "And there's a shallow river just before it. If we're lucky, that'll hold them off."

"What do you mean _if_-"

"Off we go!" The Doctor shouted, pulling Calypso down the far side of the hill. It was a relief since every moment she was fighting the urge to look behind her, hearing the monstrous chirping growing louder with each breath. Halfway down, a tree had fallen, its roots torn from the ground. The ensuing erosion had resulted in a sudden sharp drop where there had once been a gradual slope, but there was no chance to slow down. She pushed her legs faster, trying to keep up, but even a firm grip on the Doctor's hand couldn't keep her upright when her rate of falling finally exceeded the speed she could run. Her legs folded under her quite suddenly, sending her somersaulting down the hill in a tangle of limbs and dirt. The freshly turned ground was forgiving, and she only took on serious damage when her canteen whipped around and cracked against her skull. She finally came to a stop at the bottom, and other than her newly throbbing headache, she didn't feel much beyond exhausted.

"I've lost my hat." The Doctor was already looming above her, a disappointed look on his face as he held out a hand to help her up. There was enough dirt in his hair to guess that he too, had taken a spill. Possibly, because she had dragged him down with her. But unlike herself, he looked almost as if he'd enjoyed it.

"It really _is_ like this all the time, isn't it?" She asked as he pulled her up and she brushed the worst of the dirt from her face before sprinting with the Doctor toward the river.

"Well," he flashed a grin over his shoulder. "I wouldn't want you to get _bored_." They reached the banks just as the Colonel was halfway across, Jack and Raleigh jumping in, both of them were covered in enough dirt that she guessed that at least one had taken a spill. She took that as a small comfort as she splashed in behind the Doctor, finding the water surprisingly cooler than the air. It was something she could appreciate, even while running for her life. The current was stronger than she expected, and it came up nearly to her chest by the time they reached the middle, but her stubborn determination, and the Doctor's firm grip on her hand got her to the other side unscathed.

The wet clothes made running more difficult, but they didn't have much further to go. They stopped at the edge of the empty field and the Doctor pulled out his sonic, aiming it at nothing that she could see while the Colonel watched beyond the river for their pursuers. She couldn't quite bring herself to look. She worried if she did, she might never look away. The sheer number of them alone terrified her, she didn't need to think about any of their other threatening qualities to be afraid.

"What are you doing?" She finally asked the Doctor, needing to focus her thoughts elsewhere.

"I, am doing a magic trick-_Hah_!" Quite suddenly, there was a temple ruin standing before them where there had been nothing. It towered above them, a giant even in this jungle of enormous trees. He looked at Calypso, waiting for her to be impressed. "Eh? Pretty neat." He tossed his sonic in the air and caught it.

"I don't…_how_?" She said weakly. She blinked several more times, wondering if the canteen had done more damage than she thought.

"Good lord man, how in the blazes did you do _that_?" The Colonel had turned around and was also staring at the temple, which meant Calypso couldn't be imagining it.

"It's a simple reflective perception field, rather easy to deactivate if you resonate the energy converter." He looked quite pleased with himself, but the Colonel just frowned at him.

"But," Calypso decided to forgo the explanation entirely. "How did you know anything was here?"

"Well, I didn't. But I _am_ extraordinarily clever," he winked at her. "And we are looking for a vanished, seemingly impossible to find city, are we not? Had to be some reason no one's ever come across it before. On top of that, a clearing this big? For no apparent reason? That's just peculiar."

"Look!" Jack called out, he and Raleigh were both watching the river and Calypso spun around to see. Thousands of the beetles poured forth, having already overrun the hill she had fallen down. Now they spread like a thick fog toward them, smothering everything in their path. They reached the river and didn't slow, spilling down the banks and into the water. "They'll be washed away!" Jack laughed with relief and clapped Raleigh on the back.

"Rather a lucky breath there, eh Doctor?" The Colonel allowed himself a small smile and Calypso felt the crushing dread lift from her shoulders. They were going to make it. "A bit dodgier than you're used to, I bet." The Colonel smiled at her. She laughed politely, but decided against telling him he didn't even know the half of it.

"Um." The Doctor said. "Sorry, not to disappoint everyone, but I think our luck's run a bit dry this go round." The shared relief vanished in a moment and they all turned back to the river. The creatures continued to dump themselves into the water, but now there were sparkling black spots on the nearside of the banks. Wet and glittering, but very much _alive_. It was a slow but steady trickle emerging from the current, resuming the hunt.

"Up! Everyone up!" The Doctor ushered them all toward the temple.

"Hold on, where did that-"

"Shut up! Less talking, more running!" Jack shrugged and started up the stairs that were carved into the larger granite slabs, quickly followed by Raleigh and his father. Calypso mustered up the last of her strength and forced herself to run up the stairs, knowing what was behind her gave her just enough encouragement.

"Doctor," she said between gasps. "Is there _more_ to the plan?" The river had failed, and other then counting on the bugs being unable to climb stairs, which she found unlikely, she didn't know what he hoped to accomplish.

"Absolutely," he said in a reassuring tone. "And just as soon as I've sorted it out, I'll let you know." She nearly stopped running then, but he still had a grip on her hand and dragged her along.

"Doctor, what do we do?" The Colonel barked in a commanding tone, realizing that there was nothing waiting at the top that promised a victory, or even survival. Jack circled the structure, looking for anything that might help.

"We have a machete," Raleigh offered, the Colonel shot him a rather scathing look and Raleigh returned to silence.

"The door," the Doctor said as he and Calypso reached the top. "Open the door."

"Hate to be a cad, but I'm afraid there _is_ no door." The Colonel said gruffly. "Don't suppose you've got another of those fancy ships hidden up here?"

"No, unfortunately not," the Doctor frowned. "But there is a door. There's _always_ a door." He pushed past the Colonel and began to scan the stone with his sonic. Calypso focused on catching her breath, her legs felt like jelly and if they had to run again, she wasn't sure she could do it. Even with the blood pounding in her ears, she could hear the chirping behind them growing louder, and it was more metallic now, the sound of thousands and thousands of little legs rubbing against each other as they climbed to the top.

"Well," the Doctor said, a little defeated. "There's _nearly_ always a door." Instead of scanning, he spun the screwdriver around and started to knock it against various parts of the structure. It didn't inspire a lot of confidence in his 'plan'. Trying not to think about the beetles didn't stop her from seeing them from the corner of her eye, a black stain on their otherwise green surroundings. Her breath hitched in her throat as she looked down the temple, seeing for the first time that it was no longer just one long trail of them, they had spread out, blotting out any signs of life save their own. They surrounded the temple as far as she could tell, and they were starting to climb it. There was no way out.

"Calypso," the Doctor spoke behind her, but she couldn't look away. She wanted to scream, but she was afraid to even move. All she could do was stare at the black mass coming toward them. "Calypso, look at me." He was closer now, and she felt his hand against her cheek, pulling her gaze away from the creatures. She met his eyes and quite suddenly remembered that she needed to breathe, she gasped in a shuddering breath before she started to go dizzy. "It's going to be alright." He promised. She wondered how he could be so sure, when it seemed so clear to her that this would really be the last time they'd meet. She doubted they could come back from being devoured by a horde of flesh-eating alien creatures. Everyone had their limits.

"Do you believe me?" He asked, his green eyes carefully searching her own. She opened her mouth, but she couldn't speak. Instead, with a sad smile, she shook her head. He snorted softly and stroked his thumb against her cheek. "Fair enough. Do you trust me, at least?"

"Doctor?" The Colonel was, understandably, concerned that they were stopping to have a chat at what was a rather inconvenient time. But the Doctor ignored him, waiting for Calypso to respond.

Even despite their current certainty of doom, she knew the answer. She sighed. "Yes."

"Good." A wide grin spread across his face. "That's good. I need you to trust me when I say it's going to be alright."

"Okay." She took another deep breath, resisting the urge to check on the progress of the creatures that she was sure would arrive shortly to swallow them up. "I believe you."

"Excellent," he said with the same grin, dipping forward to kiss her gently on the lips. "That's exactly what I need. Come on," he pulled her over to the stone structure, away from the edge where she could see the bugs that had already made it halfway to the top. "Gentlemen, I present you with our way out." He pointed to what appeared to be solid stone with a flourish. "_If_ we can get it open." He admitted. "And it's probably been a few millennia, so let's put our backs into it, shall we?" And with that, he leaned against the granite, throwing his weight into it. Calypso watched him for a moment, and then, if a little reluctantly, put her hands against it and started to push. "Come on then, not everyone all at once." The Doctor rolled his eyes at the rest of the group who were standing there, watching him with some disbelief.

"Doctor, that's not a door." Raleigh said with a frown.

"Yes, well. We can argue about that until our friends arrive, or you can come give us a push." The Doctor's feet started to slide out from under him as he continued to struggle with it. Jack shrugged and joined them, and soon was followed by Raleigh, and a reluctant Colonel, pressing arms, shoulders, and backs against the seemingly unmovable boulder. All while the symphony of the creatures below grew louder and louder, drowning out all other noises.

"Well, I could have sworn this was a d-" the rock shifted beneath them an inch and they all looked at each other, astonished. "Atta way!" The Doctor shouted. "Once more with fee-AHHH!" The slab moved again, but this time swinging clear on its axis. It threw them all forward into a black empty pit. They tumbled down through a sloped tunnel. Before she fell sideways, she glimpsed the stone door spinning back into place without their weight to hold it open, extinguishing the only source of light they had in the ancient tomb. She collided with someone else, or a few someone's, on the way down and finally landed with a dull thud at the bottom.

For a moment, she was afraid to move. Certain that if she did, she'd find that she'd seriously hurt herself this time. But as she flexed her limbs cautiously, nothing hurt sharply enough to suggest she had broken bone. That was a small relief. She had spent a lot of time on this little adventure falling down hills, and Calypso had to say, she wasn't particularly fond of it.

"Well then," the Doctor's voice was somewhere above her head. "That wasn't so terrible, was it?"


	41. Lost City of Z Part 4

_A/N: I'm totally calling this a reasonably short update time. Huzzah!_

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><p><strong>-1925-<strong>

**-The Lost City of Z-**

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><p>"I suppose, old sport, that really depends upon your definition of 'terrible'." The Colonel said mildly, somewhere to the left of Calypso. His voice sounded smaller in the pitch black, and she wondered if it was his fear, or her own, that made it that way. She was having trouble catching her breath, both from the near miss with the creatures above, and the heavily claustrophobic darkness that squeezed at her chest. It felt as though they were in a tomb. Something tickled at her neck and she brushed at it violently, afraid that there had been a few of the bugs that had followed them down. She took a steadying breath and pushed herself to her knees, hoping that the room was much bigger than it seemed.<p>

"Well, we've managed _not_ to get ourselves devoured by flesh eating aliens," a bright light burst forth from the direction of the Doctor's voice and she shrank back from it as she blinked away the spots in her vision. "And we all seem to be no worse for wear." She could finally see him now, if she squinted a little. He was holding a long slender lantern that illuminated most of the room they had fallen into. She surveyed the group as the Doctor did. Raleigh was helping Jack up, it looked as though Jack had struck his arm again on the way down, but nothing too serious. The Colonel was already up and brushing cobwebs from his beard. "Everyone _is_ alright?" The Doctor asked, his eyes meeting Calypso's questioningly.

He seemed worried, which probably meant she was looking spooked. She supposed that was understandable considering she'd just had a footrace with a tsunami of bugs intent on devouring her, and then subsequently, had nearly plunged to her death. She nodded, trying to calm herself a bit. "Yes, I'm okay. Are you?"

"I'm always okay," he grinned. "Mister Okay-Dokay is what they-" his face twisted into one of disgust mid sentence. "Oh, blimey, I just heard how that _sounded_. That was awful. Under no circumstances should you ever call me, or anyone else Mr. Okay-Dokay. Ever. Absolute _rubbish_."

"Okay." Calypso said with the hint of a smile.

"Cheeky," the Doctor said as he approached her. "I rather like that-"

"Doctor, I hate to ruin this moment of triumph by pointing out the obvious, but how exactly do you plan to get us out of here?" Jack was leaning on Raleigh now, possibly because of his arm or from new bruises he had gained from the rather unorthodox way they'd chosen to take through the tunnel. She could see his point though, they had tumbled down into the bowels of the pyramid with no way of knowing how to get back up, or if they even _could_.

"Not to worry," he strode over to the tunnel opening they had all fallen through. "Noticed a bit of chiseling on the way down," She snorted, only he would have taken the time to notice the texture of the hole they were falling through. "So we should be able to climb our way back up easy enough." He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out his sonic screwdriver, scanning the stone above their heads. "But that's an awful plan. Besides, who wants to know what's down this other tunnel?" He asked with a grin as he crossed the room in three strides and revealed that there was one more exit, sloping down even further.

"I'm up for a look." The Colonel dusted off his hat and dropped it back on his head, and for a moment, the Doctor's smile faded as he realized his own hat had been lost in the chase through the jungle.

"Is now really a good time for exploring?" Raleigh sounded properly annoyed. "Don't you think maybe we should go back?" he jerked his head toward Jack, who was looking a little pale.

"Why, what's wrong with him?" The Doctor strode forward, scanning Jack with his sonic. "Bit of a concussion, best keep him awake." He told Raleigh seriously. "But going back at this point would require us to push through about twelve thousand little friends upstairs. I don't know about you, but I'm not entirely sure I'm up for that, what with liking my flesh right where it is. I'm a bit old fashion like that." He patted Raleigh's shoulder reassuringly as the man blanched, his eye flicking up to the ceiling as though they might descend at any moment now that he was thinking about them again. "Besides, this is what you boys came all this way for, aren't you a bit curious to see it through?"

"This?" The Colonel asked with a frown.

"Yes, _this_. The lost city."

"This is the lost city?" the Colonel seemed suitably unimpressed.

"Yes, that _is_ what I just said. It's going to get rather tedious if you insist on making me repeat myself. Try to keep up." The Doctor turned and beckoned Calypso to follow him as he descended down into the dark tunnel. She wasn't feeling especially optimistic about it, considering how their adventure had turned out so far, but she also didn't like the idea of being left behind, so she marched after him.

"Well, this is hardly a _city_." The Colonel called gruffly from behind her, having decided to join them. She could hear Jack and Raleigh scuffling further back, presumably because they wanted to follow the light.

"Well- Corner here," he paused as the path turned sharply to the left and continued to wind downward. "It's not a city anymore. This is what's left. The _actual_ city vanished ages ago. There's definitely something left here, else they wouldn't have gone through so much trouble to keep it hidden."

"Or to keep it protected." Calypso wondered if having that many creatures ready to spring to action to protect an old relic wasn't a bit overkill.

"Yes," he agreed. "Leaving no survivors does seem a rather effective way to keep a spot on the map buried. But why? What's down here that's so important that they couldn't take it with them?"

"Some absurdly enormous gold statue." The Doctor turned to look at the Colonel, who shrugged. "What? It's always about gold, isn't it?"

The Doctor shook his head and continued on. "The Aureus don't treasure gold, it's part of their genetic build. They need it to survive."

"The what?"

"Ah, this looks about right." The Doctor dismissed the Colonel's question as the narrow passage opened into another room, this one larger than the first. It had no exit, and was largely the same, save a large stone arch in the center. It was unremarkable beyond that, and Calypso could see no reason that the tunnel would lead them here.

"Does it?" She asked, as they all started to circle the arch. The bricks were fit together so well, that from a distance, it looked as though it were one solid piece. The Doctor put the lantern down on the floor and inspected the far wall where there were marks that she had thought were meaningless.

"That some sort of ancient language?" The Colonel was right over the Doctor's shoulder, squinting as though it might help him recognize it.

"Ancient, and _alien_." The Doctor confirmed. The Colonel frowned, but decided not to ask. Calypso circled under the arch, noting a thin crack that ran the entire length. It was on the outside too, she touched it lightly with her fingertips and was shocked to find a buzzing sensation jolt through her. She jerked back suddenly, but it hadn't particularly hurt, just surprised her.

With a bit more caution, she looked closer at the fissure, finding it odd that it could run through the whole arch without bringing it crumbling down. But now she could see that there were marks along the crack, marks from tools. This wasn't a weakness in the rock, it had been made that way. Her eyes followed the line to the floor where she saw it continued out for a bit, and there was a small depression where it stopped. She knelt down and brushed away at the thick coating of dust, revealing a small circle carved into the floor. It was etched carefully with the same delicate letters from the wall. She could feel the buzzing even though her hand hovered above the floor and on an impulse, she pressed her fingers to it.

The stone gave way, grinding against the stone around it, and the whole room was suddenly humming with sound. Calypso fell backward, not entirely sure what she had done. The Colonel and the Doctor both spun together, watching the once empty arch flicker with a light of its own in an unsteady pattern. The crack along the edge pulsed with a muted blue glow and the arch exploded with a radiant light that forced them all to look away. It faded in the moments following, but did not extinguish completely.

"What did you do?" The Doctor asked thoughtfully. Calypso looked to the arch again and saw that the space beneath it was no longer empty, there was a spiraling point of light shimmering in its center.

"I-I…" she was at a loss how to explain it. Worried that her impulse may have gotten them in worse trouble than they already were. "There was a button." She said weakly.

"Brilliant," he smirked as he walked over and offered a hand up. "Love a good button. Well spotted you clever minx."

"I learn from the best." She shrugged. She was relieved that the arch seemed to be harmless.

"I am rather minx-y," the Doctor said with a smug look as he adjusted his bow tie. Calypso stifled a laugh. "Or…clever. You meant clever. Right." He cleared his throat and stuffed his sonic away in an effort to look busy.

"Why can't it be both?" Calypso asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Calypso," he said, a slow smile pulling at his lips as he looked at her again. "I think you might be in danger of flirting with an old man." He took a step closer, looming directly above her and she felt her stomach flutter.

"Er…Doctor," the Colonel cleared his throat, and was focusing intently on the arch, and not at how close the Doctor was to Calypso. "If you've the time, I could use some clarification on what exactly this bloody thing _is_."

"Ah," the Doctor clapped his hands together, waggling his eyebrows at Calypso before turning to face the Colonel, and the less eager looking Jack and Raleigh. "That'll be a portal. A doorway through."

"Through?" The Colonel frowned. "Well what's on the other side of the damned thing?"

"I don't know, that's what's exciting! It could be nothing. It _could_ be the fourth gamma moon of Hurion. There's only one way to know for sure." The Doctor had that manic look in his eye and Calypso knew exactly what way he intended to find out.

The Colonel looked at the Doctor for a moment as if he were completely mad, but then he sighed. "Well, I suppose I didn't come all this way just for the malaria. Onward!" He shouted before he marched through the light, his form faded as he walked forward, and then vanished completely.

"That's the ticket." The Doctor beamed as though he'd never been prouder. "Gentlemen, after you." The Doctor nodded to Raleigh, Jack looked less ill now, but now appeared to be horrified at the disappearance of his father.

"Where's he gone?" Jack asked, demanding an answer from the Doctor.

"I think we just discussed how I didn't know, were you not listening?" The Doctor turned and shook his head at Calypso. "They _never_ listen."

"How could he just be _gone_?" Jack slowly stumbled his way around to the back of the arch to make certain he hadn't just hidden away. "I don't understand."

"It's a bit complicated as far as the science goes. It's just… a _really_ elaborate door. It's alright Jack, you can go through."

"I think it might be best if we stayed here." Raleigh offered.

"Absolutely," Jack shook his head. "I'm not going through that…that _thing_." He stared at the light as though it were some kind of dangerous creature.

"Suit yourself." The Doctor shrugged. "Care to join me?" He offered his arm out to Calypso, but she hesitated. The Doctor noticed immediately. "Did you want to come?" He looked crestfallen at the idea that she might not. She did, and she didn't. Though probably not for the reasons he suspected.

"Of course," she nodded, staring at his arm, but unable to take it. She wasn't afraid of what was on the other side of the door, though she had to admit, it was somewhat daunting. But what she really feared, was being taken away so soon. What if she vanished and he didn't make it out of here?

"But what if…" he eyes lingered on Jack and Raleigh, but they seemed deep in conversation now that Jack had slid to the ground, his eyes staring blankly where his father had once stood. "What if I disappear again?"

"Well," the Doctor smirked. "That _is_ the general idea." But as he watched her, his face fell, realizing what she meant. "Oh. Of course. Not through- I see." He nodded solemnly as his eyes flicked to the portal. Whatever powered it could trigger her own unusual habit. She thought perhaps he would reassure her, tell her that whatever effected her had nothing to do with this, but he didn't. He didn't know if it would. "Do you want to wait here?"

She didn't really have to consider the question. Because what would be the point of staying if she might lose him anyway to whatever waited for them beyond the threshold? "No." She shook her head with a sad smile.

"Well then," he tried to put on a brave face as he stepped closer to her, gathering her hands in his own. "Best make it a good one then, eh? In case this is goodbye."

Her heart thrummed in her ribcage as he closed the distance between them, his words may have been vague, but the look in his eyes, and the slight tilt of his smile made it impossible for her to misunderstand his meaning. His hand slid up her side, cupping her cheek as he stooped down to kiss her. Softly at first, and then deepening the kiss. She leaned into him, hating the possibility that this might be the last for who knew how long, but needing it just the same. She reciprocated in kind and her lips tingled under the firm pressure of his mouth as he grew more urgent, she clutched the back of his neck and let out a happy noise from deep in her throat. Gradually, he slowed, lingering on her lips, and then her cheek. He moved back, a sly grin on his face.

"Yes," he said, his voice a bit hoarse. "That should do it." He cleared his throat and let his hand fall from her cheek. "Are you ready?"

"Ready," she didn't even bother trying to hide her own giddy smile as she squeezed his hand.

"Excellent," he grinned with enthusiasm as he led her to the arch, he glanced down at her as they stood facing it, a hint of sadness in his green eyes. "If you don't-" he stopped himself. "See you around, Callie." He pulled her against him, her arm locked under his own as he kissed the top of her head. "Geronimo!" He shouted, and they both took a step forward. They were plunged into darkness and a sharp cold, but with their next step, they were through, and her hand was still firmly clasped by the Doctor.

There was no yellow light hinting that she didn't have long to stay. She blinked as she looked up at the Doctor, and in the dim light from the arch, he beamed at her. "Not through with me yet." He winked.

"I was about to send a bloody search party for you lot. Where's the boy?" The Colonel barked, the wait had clearly made him nervous. Calypso looked around, the room was similar to the last, except the walls weren't made of stone. It was metallic and it reflected the light from the portal so that it looked as though they were underwater.

"The gentlemen opted to stay behind," the Doctor said. "They weren't feeling quite so ambitious as the rest of us. So, what have we got?" He pulled the sonic out from his pocket, releasing Calypso's hand as he circled the room. She knelt down and peered at the floor more carefully. The cool blue light was reflected more warmly that it appeared; the metal itself looked to be yellow in color.

"Is it…is it _gold_?" She had seen gold-flaked frescos, and the occasional small statue before, but nothing the size of a whole room. She couldn't even fathom how much that might cost.

"Yes," the Doctor said as he flipped his sonic in the air. "The walls, the ceiling, even the floor, it's solid."

"Solid?" The Colonel pressed his hand against one of the walls in awe. "This isn't a king's fortune. This is the fortune of a _god_." He shook his head as if it was all too much. "Are we below the pyramid?"

"Ah. No. This is another planet entirely."

"What?" The Colonel turned back toward the Doctor, disbelief in his eyes. "Good lord, get a hold of yourself. It only took a second to get here."

"Yes, well, that _is_ one of the perks of traveling through a worm hole-"

"A worm what?" He wrinkled his nose, looking more concerned by the second.

"You know when I told you I was an explorer myself?"

"Yes…"

"And you know how I mentioned that big blue box traveled through time?"

"Well, yes, but I thought you were one of those… _ridiculous_ poets who blather on about time being a creation of man or some other idiotic thing. I didn't think you were _serious_!"

"I am always serious," he caught Calypso's skeptical eye. "Well, _nearly_ always-Sometimes. Look, the point is, I _am_ a time traveler. I also travel through space. And I am telling you, this _is_ possible, and we _are_ on another planet. It's Aureus." He grinned as he rubbed his hands together like an excited child. "The lost _planet_ of gold."

Just then, a shrill alarm went off, it was sharp and piercing and Calypso's hands flew to her ears, trying to block the sound. Even protected, she could hear the alarm grow, becoming louder as it spread to rooms and passages that they couldn't see. "Ah…now, _that_," the Doctor looked up with his own hands over his ears as the ceiling parted and the floor beneath them began to rise. "That is probably a bad sign."


	42. Lost City of Z Part 5

_A/N: Hey, it's me, the despicable human being! I've just had the worst time trying to write at all recently. But I managed to get this chapter done over the course of like six months by opening the document, writing four words, and then swearing at it profusely. Sorry for being such a bad updater! You guys are lovely, thank you for all your kind words, and for those of you still reading! It really means a lot!_

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><p><strong>-1925-<strong>

**-The Lost City of Z-**

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><p>The alarms continued to shriek at an alarming volume, despite Calypso's best efforts to mute them with her hands. The roof above them retreated and revealed a vibrant yellow sky, the brightness of it momentarily blinding her to anything save the light itself.<p>

"Well," she heard the Doctor speak, barely audible above the alarms even as he shouted. "It'll be a bit of a climb I suppose, but we might as well get-" the floor beneath them suddenly lurched and they all struggled to keep their balance as it moved steadily toward the sky. The Doctor, after he had sufficiently pin wheeled his arms around to regain his balance, grinned at Calypso. "Well, that's one problem solved already. Let's hope our luck keeps."

"Is this lucky?" Calypso asked, lowering her hands. The alarms didn't grow any louder, but they were more numerous as they rose and she winced against the barrage. Around them was an open landscape, glittering gold as far as she could see. On the distant horizon she spotted taller structures, all shimmering just as brightly as the surface around them, but they were entirely exposed where they stood.

"Do you recall if this lost planet of yours was friendly, Doctor?" The Colonel seemed to share her concerns, though she noted that he wasn't nearly as unsettled by the sudden appearance of a whole new world as she would have thought. She had seen plenty of strange things with the Doctor, and even she was a little awestruck. His hand shielded his eyes from the tremendous amount of light, focusing on the buildings in the distance. Calypso's eyes continued to adjust and she looked up into the sky, finding not one, but two yellow suns above. She found it a little difficult to breathe for a moment.

"Of course," the Doctor shouted back. "The Aurean have always been a peaceful race-" the alarms stopped suddenly and the Doctor stretched his jaw in relief. "Blimey, that's much better. Impressive, isn't it?" He spoke to Calypso now, who had yet to tear her eyes away from the suns above, even as they began to water. "It's a binary system, two suns orbiting each other." She finally looked away, spots taking up most of her vision now. The Doctor grinned at her and squeezed her hand and she gave a nervous grin in return. She thought it was strange how her heart could begin to race from something as simple as a look from him, even when she found herself faced by such impossible circumstances as finding herself on another planet entirely. "It's actually quite common throughout the universe."

"Hope you're right about the 'peaceful' bit, old sport." The Colonel interrupted them with a sharp reminder that they might actually be in some trouble. "Because it looks as though they're on their way."

"Ah yes," the Doctor said with a smile as he pointed out to the horizon so Calypso could see what he meant. A platform hovered above the gold ground in the distance, rapidly approaching them. "The ambassadors. Not to worry, Colonel. They're actually considered one of the best negotiators in the galaxy." He paused and then shrugged. "Slightly…parasitic, but that's neither here nor there."

"Come again?" The Colonel asked with a scowl.

"Well," the Doctor released Calypso's hands to face the Colonel. "With their extreme noxious reactions to most planets, really, most _elements_ beyond what they've adapted to here, they need host species to help bring in resources for them. Otherwise they'd die out entirely."

"And that's your idea of _peaceful_?" The Colonel took a furious step toward the Doctor.

"Don't worry, it's all agreed upon beforehand," the Doctor said with a dismissive wave. "The hosts are always willing participants."

"S'pose that's something," the Colonel grunted reluctantly.

"Well, _nearly_ always. There was that ugly business with the Rynsang…"

"Doctor-" The Colonel said warningly.

"It'll have to wait." Calypso stepped between the two of them, her eyes had never really left the platform and she was once again finding it difficult to breathe now that she could see its passengers. "They're here."

"Excellent," the Doctor said as he turned away from the Colonel, the same ludicrous smile on his face.

The platform stopped mere feet away from them and slowly lowered itself to the ground. It wasn't the platform that was so alarming, or the fact that it seemed to have no visible means of hovering above the ground, but the creatures themselves. The most pressing feature, was their size. Even when they had stepped away from the platform, they still loomed over them all, massive as a bear. The other more concerning detail was that, save their jeweled blue coloring, they most resembled the beetles that had sent them fleeing here in the first place. Their eyes were jet black, and large as Calypso's fists. They focused squarely on the Doctor who had stepped forward.

"Hello!" He said cheerfully. "I'm the Doctor."

One of the three creatures stepped forward on four of its six legs, feet clicking sharply against the gold surface and making Calypso's hair stand on end. She fought the urge to step back, partly for the sake of the Doctor, and partly because she knew there was nowhere else for her to go. It stopped less than a foot from the Doctor, his smile never fading.

"These are my traveling companions," he continued, despite the creatures never acknowledging his first introduction. "Calypso and Colonel Fawcett." He nodded at them to make some attempt at a greeting. Calypso tried to contort her face into something resembling a smile, while the Colonel absently reached for the machete that was no longer attached to his hip.

The creature opened its beaked mouth and let out a series of gurgling clicks.

"Ah, right. That's brilliant!" The Doctor said, turning to Calypso with that same cheerful grin.

"Did you…_understand_ that?" She asked, she couldn't honestly say she had picked up if the tone was threatening or not.

"Well, something about my head…it's…" the Doctor shrugged apologetically. "My Aurean is a bit rusty."

"Well that's bloody _brilliant_," the Colonel threw up his arms in disgust.

"Look out!" Calypso saw a moment too late that the creature had extended a claw, closing it over the Doctor's head before he could move.

"Gods man!" The Colonel leapt forward, clutching at the claw as it began to glow from a light within.

"It's alright!" The Doctor pushed him gently away. "It's alright Colonel, she's trying to communicate."

"Oh…" Calypso dropped her hands uselessly to the side. The creature made more clicking noises as it peered at her.

"_She_?" The Colonel blustered.

"Yes, yes. I do apologize. My friends here were just concerned you had an interest in removing my head from its present location. I'm assuring them that that particular urge _isn't_ something you're keen on doing, since just above my shoulders is in fact one of my favorite spots for it." The creature made further noises and the Doctor sighed. "Well, yes. Rearranging it would mean my fairly imminent death. It was, however, intended to be a joke- You know what, don't worry about it. Caypso? Colonel? If you could-" he held his hands out for them to take.

Calypso stared at it for a moment, looking between him and the hulking creature before them. She finally decided that if they really intended to harm them, they would have done it already. She also realized that the odds of her being able to stop them if they chose to do so, was next to impossible. She reluctantly placed her hand in the Doctors and instantly her thoughts were flooded by the deep melodic voice of a stranger.

"-_sense of humor is a bit beyond my people. We would like to know how you came to be here_."

"Again, very sorry about that. Seems we arrived here quite by accident. We popped through the door," he shrugged over his shoulder as well as he could with the creatures arm still clamped down over his head.

"Door?" Even though the creature's features did not shift, Calypso still got the impression that it was frowning.

"Yes, seems there was a transference wormhole set up shop in the bottom of an old temple. Out in the middle of the Amazonian jungle. Earth," he clarified. "Bit strange, as the technology for that sort of thing is still a few centuries beyond the locals."

"Earth…" the voice repeated. The creature stood very still as it thought. "Ah, the Kayapo." It nodded with its short neck. "We harvested gold there. The Kayapo helped us to build a temple so that we could safely travel between worlds without contamination. But there was scourge, a slaughtering of their tribe. We saved those we could, but they could not remain there. So we severed the bridge."

"A scourge, eh?" The Colonel asked with a raised eyebrow. "Don't suppose they resembled a giant pack of bugs?" The Doctor shot him a look and he shrugged. "Not intending any offense."

"No," the creature did not look the least bit bothered, but Calypso wasn't sure if she'd be able to tell if she was. "They were men, armed with metal and greed."

"Idiots," the Doctor muttered. "It could have been any number of _reckless_ explorers that came charging through the country." He shot the Colonel a look before continuing. "Did you leave behind guardians to keep the temples location protected? To ensure the Scourge would not follow you?"

"We did not. There was no reason to. The temple was invisible to them, and the link was severed."

"Did a bit of a shoddy job there," the Colonel muttered under his breath.

"Well that's strange," the Doctor's brow creased. "Because I _distinctly_ remember being chased through the jungle by a rather aggressive pack of beetles."

The Aurean behind the first creature started to chitter and Calypso watched as they communicated with each other, no longer able to understand them.

"There was one creature that did not make the return to its vessel. We presumed that it perished with its original host as it was many centuries ago."

"If it didn't die, then what happened to it?" The Colonel asked with a frown.

"It survived." The Doctor spoke slowly, the conclusion forming itself in his mind before he needed to ask the Aurean. "It jumped to the most suitable host it could find. Common earth beetles, hoping it could find a way back home. But beetles are rather simple creatures, far too simple to host an Aurean mind."

"But just _one_ beetle? How could one beetle convince the rest to…well, do beetles even communicate?" The Colonel asked, side eyeing the Aurean cautiously.

"It _started_ with one beetle, but beetles are like most biological creatures. They breed incessantly. Over a thousand or so generations, that Aurean was fractured, over and over again. The poorly suited host along with the splintering of his mind caused them to change. It's not a colony of beetles any more, it's all one creature, split into many bodies." The Doctor glared at the Aurean. "Did you wonder what that kind of isolation would do? Did you even care?"

The creature in the front bowed her head and Calypso knew that it did care, deeply. "We were unaware there had been any survivors, especially after so long. We mourned the loss, there was no way we could have anticipated what happened. We only wish there was a way we could ease its passing."

"Ease its passing?" Calypso was shocked, both that the creature, who spoke so sincerely, would suggest it, and that the Doctor did not immediately shoot her down. "That's what you plan to do? _Kill_ it?"

"There is nothing else that could be done. We cannot retrieve him as there is no physical form to host him and with his level of contaminate, he could not possibly survive in his natural form again. But we cannot kill him as we cannot make the journey back to earth. Things will have to reach their natural conclusion. We are sorry to have caused you such strife. We can open the door again for you to return home."

"But, if we go back, they'll just kill us." Calypso felt her chest tighten, it seemed cruel to have temporarily escaped their fate only to be thrown back into it. What was worse was that she feared she would somehow be torn away from that end, and have no way of knowing if the rest of them survived. No way of knowing if this adventure with the Doctor would truly be her last.

"We shall make an adjustment in the bridge, you will place you in a location far from the creatures. You will have to make your way from there."

"My _son_ is in that damned bloody temple of yours, do you expect me to just leave them there to die?" The Colonel stepped forward threateningly and the Doctor restrained him, just barely.

"No," the Doctor spoke finally. "Can you place us just outside the temple? Far enough back so we might not get the immediate attention of the creatures in question."

"That can be arranged." The creature nodded.

"Doctor, what are you planning to do?" Calypso watched him carefully.

"The only thing I can do," There was no eagerness in his voice, just a tired resignation that aged his features. "Destroy it."

The door hummed to life behind them, the same swirling pattern of light glowing as they turned to face it. "We have opened the bridge once more, the bulk of the creature is focused elsewhere, but that does not mean you will be safe." She warned them.

"It never is," the Doctor said grimly. "Alright then," he said, ensuring both Calypso and the Colonel were ready to follow. "Let's be on our way."

"I don't mean to be a naysayer, Doctor." The Colonel said in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "But are you _sure_ this is a good idea?"

They all stood on the small hill that they had tumbled down only hours earlier. Looking out over the river, Calypso's stomach did a few flips. It was all shimmering and black, the landscape itself looking as though it had become a living thing. She couldn't see the temple itself, only a giant dark mountain that pulsed and moved as though it were breathing.

"Not entirely," the Doctor admitted. "But I'm mostly certain it's going to work." He held up his sonic screwdriver as he fiddled with the dials, and it whirred at a few different pitches before he seemed satisfied. "That should do it."

"Do what exactly?" Calypso asked as she tried not to let her overwhelming nervousness become too apparent.

"Well, this precise pitch should aggravate the creatures shell enough to repel them to clear a path to the reflective perception generator."

"And that's… a good thing?"

"Yes, because once I reach that, I can adjust the energy converter to exponentially increase the output; which should make it less of a _repellant_ and more of a…well, a permanent solution."

"So we're just going to _walk_ into that?" Calypso asked, watching the swarm below them.

"No," the Doctor turned to her, a sad smile on his face. "_We're_ not going to do anything. You and the Colonel both are heading back to the TARDIS. If I manage to botch this, there might still be time for you to rescue Jack and Raleigh with the ship."

"_Might_?" The Colonel asked sharply, but the Doctor could only shrug sympathetically. "Then I'm bloody well not going to wait around here." He said gruffly as he turned back to the path they had arrived on.

"Hold on, you'll need one of these." The Doctor stopped him, holding out a small key for the Colonel to take. "She'll know what to do."

The Colonel took the key and tucked it into his shirt. "Good luck," he said to the Doctor with a sharp nod. "If you see the boys before me, tell them to stay out of bloody trouble." The Doctor nodded and with that the Colonel took off, moving faster than Calypso would have thought for a man his age.

"You should probably catch up," the Doctor said as he turned back to the temple. "I get the feeling he'll probably leave you behind if it comes to that."

"No." Calypso said defiantly as she walked up to him. She met his gaze steadily as he looked down at her. "I'm not about to wait it out in the TARDIS while you try and get yourself killed."

"Callie-"

"Don't even try," she silenced him with a stern look. "It's not any more dangerous for you than it is for me. Neither of us is invincible. You say that the sonic will work as a repellant, so let's go."

"But I'm not-" she pressed her finger against his lips to quell his argument.

"We can waste time arguing or you can just agree and we can try and save Jack and Raleigh right now."

The Doctor looked as though he might argue further, but he finally rolled his eyes and let out a muffled "Alright"

She allowed herself a small smile for her victory, she knew those were difficult to come by with the Doctor. "Thank you," she removed her finger and placed a gentle kiss at the corner of his mouth. He held her there for a moment, lingering together in their closeness as he tried to smile. There was a sadness to him that she hadn't seen before. Destroying this lost creature was going to cost him more than she had expected.

"Alright," he said as he let her go. "I'm going to need you to test this though, it's important that it works for both of us, incase…something happens." She nodded, trying to ignore the clawing fear that something _could_ happen as he fiddled with the sonic a moment and then handed it to her. "Press the button to make sure."

She did so and felt the pitch hum through her in a familiar way. "What was that?" She asked, it hadn't been the same sound from earlier, but she couldn't place what exactly it was. He took the sonic back from her and forced a smile.

"It's the frequency of the TARDIS drive." The Doctor said in a tight voice. "Which appears to have the same effect on your physiology as the real thing. I imagine it's because they both carry the same Huon particles."

"What do you-" her voice caught in her throat as she felt it, the same tingling sensation running through her body, hinting that she was about to leap forward to another unknown location and time. "_Why_?" She looked up and saw the Doctor had an equally miserable look on his face.

"I'm sorry Callie," he shook his head as he gently squeezed her hand. "You can't ask me to risk that. Not with you," he reached up to hold her face, but she was already fading and all she felt was the whisper of warmth from his hand before she felt herself being pulled away. "Safe travels."


	43. Eddison Manor

_A/N: Okay, the new season started. I'm totally getting Who fever over here. Will try my best to keep that going. Also I'm attempting to update earlier chapters since I started them ten million years ago. So far, I'm only two chapters in. I don't think I'm going to be changing anything plot related- just general writing improvements. But, if you do notice some weird inconsistency. I either forgot, or I've changed it. Good luck figuring it out! Mwahahahahaha! You guys are so great for putting up with me. Also I highly recommend downloading a slew of 20's songs and then writing about a swinging garden party. I feel so cool, you guys don't even know. _

**-1926-**

**-Eddison Manor-**

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><p>Calypso waited on the gravel drive alone, occasionally kicking up a loose rock as she made idle circles. Mrs. Christie had decided she was in need of a walk before making a proper appearance. So instead of announcing their arrival at the door, they had parked, and Agatha had immediately wandered off onto the grassy lawn that surrounded the Eddison Manor. There was clearly something wrong, but Calypso had been unable to divulge what it was. The drive there had been made in complete silence, with Agatha lost in her thoughts and Calypso nervously steering them across the English countryside. She'd only just recently learned to drive, and while it was an exhilarating experience, she found the high speeds somewhat daunting.<p>

She ducked down behind the hedges as she heard another car approach, not wanting to answer any awkward questions as to why she was loitering outside a party that she hadn't been properly invited to. As she walked further into the hedges, she saw something that made her heart leap and then fall once again.

It was a blue box, parked just beyond the view of the manor itself. She had been waiting six months since the jungle, desperate to find any clue that the expedition had made it out alive. But no amount of research had produced answers, which left the same conclusion that the papers had reached. That they had died out there. And if they had died, she had assumed that the Doctor too, had perished, which had been nearly too much to bear.

But now he was here, at a garden party. As though nothing in the world was amiss.

She crossed to the Tardis, a cold fury sweeping through her. But a man in a brown suit rounded the corner and she realized it wasn't him. Not the 'him' that had been lost in the jungle. He grinned as he saw her approach, a look that should have made her giddy, but instead, she was only angrier. It wasn't _him_. For a brief moment she had allowed herself to _hope_ that he had made it safe. But it wasn't him.

"Hello Calyp-" She slapped him, hard. Fighting back the tears that threatened to fall she shook her head. She clenched her fists down at her side so she wouldn't strike him again. She knew it wasn't his fault, at least not _yet_. But that did little to quell the surge of emotions that were rushing through her.

"How _dare_ you," she whispered, her voice shaking as she spoke.

"I didn't- I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for whatever-" he didn't even look cross, just surprised, and then worried. "Calypso are you-"

"Callie!" She heard Agatha's voice from behind her. Desperately inconvenient. "Callie I'm prepared now! Where has she gone off to?"

"I have to go," Calypso said, sniffing sharply in an attempt to regain control of her emotions. She wasn't here to lay out accusations at the Doctor. She was the secretary of Agatha Christie and she had a job to get on with. She turned and marched from the Doctor, who made no attempt to stop her. She burst from the hedges a few moments later, startling the blonde woman who was peering off into the open fields.

"Oh, goodness me. Thought you may have given up. Well, let's-" she stopped short, getting a good look at Calypso for the first time. "Good heavens, are you quite alright?"

"Yes," Calypso blinked a few times and took a deep breath. "I'm alright. Just the pollen." She smiled to show everything was perfectly alright.

"Well then," Agatha said, not entirely convinced. "Looks like we could both use a peck of frivolity." She smiled as she inclined her head down the drive. "Shall we?"

They both strode down the short drive, onto the manors lawn where other guests had already arrived. There was an older woman making conversation with a sober looking reverend; while a man in a chair listened with a pleased grin on his face. A younger woman dressed in the latest fashions looked demure and only partly interested in the conversation, and near her, was the Doctor. He noticed their approach immediately and caught her eye with a sobering gaze, but made no attempt to address her.

"That'll be Lady Eddison," Agatha said out of the side of her mouth as they approached the elder woman, who opened her arms to greet them. "Her husband in the chair, Colonel Curbishley, and their son Roger."

"Here she is, a lady who needs no introduction!" Lady Eddison said with a welcoming smile as she ushered them into the group. She began to clap excitedly, and the rest of the guests joined in, save the Doctor and, she suddenly noticed, Donna.

"Oh, hello you!" Donna perked up when she recognized Calypso, much to the confusion of the applauding group. "Been staying out of trouble?" She asked, and then realized all eyes were on her. "Ah, pip, pip? Tally ho!" She raised a glass and then quickly lowered her gaze.

Agatha thankfully interrupted the now scattered applause, "No, no, please. Don't. Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need." She greeted a few of them warmly while Donna mouthed 'Hello Callie' behind her hand. Despite her miserable mood, Calypso found herself smiling just a bit. "Agatha Christie," Agatha held her hand out to the Doctor, properly introducing herself to those she didn't know.

"What about her?" Donna asked with a frown as the Doctor shook her hand.

"That's me," Agatha answered with a concerned smile.

"Nooo." Donna's mouth had fallen open in disbelief while Agatha had the grace to laugh. "You're _kidding_."

The Doctor grinned too, clearly just as excited to meet her. "Agatha Christie! I was just talking about you the other day. I said, "I bet she's brilliant". I'm the Doctor and this is Donna. Ohhh, I love your stuff. What a mind! You fool me every time. Well, almost every time. Well, once or twice. Well, once. But it was a good once!"

Agatha struggled to keep the bewildered look from her face, and she turned to Calypso. "This is my secretary, Calypso. Thought it might be nice to have some company for the drive."

"Oh, _Calypso_ is it?" Donna asked with an exaggerated wink. "Well, it's just _spiffing_ to meet you." She pulled Calypso in tight for a hug, which she eagerly returned. "Good to see you again sweetheart," she said in a lower voice. "I'm telling you, after the last one, couldn't get that smell out of my hair for at least a week. Thought I'd never be clean again." Donna finally pulled back, a dreadful look on her face and Calypso struggled not to laugh.

"Miss Calypso," the Doctor nodded soberly, a smile pulled at the corner of his lips. "A pleasure." He held his hand out to shake, but Calypso ignored it.

"Doctor," she said with a polite nod and quickly averted her gaze. She also elected to ignore the rather shocked look on Donna's face.

"Er," Agatha noticed the uncomfortable lapse and spoke quickly to dismiss it. "You make a rather unusual couple."

"Oh, no no no no, we're not married." The Doctor and Donna both shook their heads quickly, as though used to having to deny it.

"We're not a couple." Donna asserted clearly.

"Well obviously not. No wedding ring." Agatha pointed to their hands with a small smile. Donna looked down at her fingers, impressed by the deduction.

"Oh oh, you don't miss a trick." The Doctor was also impressed, though he might have been trying to compensate for his earlier comments.

"I'd stay that way if I were you," Agatha spoke, the gaiety in her voice suddenly gone. "The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture."

The Doctor's grin also faded, and Calypso felt the weight of his gaze even though she refused to acknowledge it.

"Mrs. Christie," Lady Eddison made her way into the group again. "I'm so glad you could come. I'm one of your greatest followers. I've read all six of your books. Is, ah, Mr. Christie not joining us?" She didn't look particularly impressed that the secretary had taken his place.

"Is he needed?" Agatha asked sharply. "Can't a woman make her own way in the world?" She was oddly defensive for such an innocent question.

"Don't give my wife ideas." Colonel Curbishley chuckled, and Lady Eddison clasped his hand fondly.

""Now Mrs. Christie, I have a question. Why a Belgian detective?" The young man spoke up, presumably the sole heir, Roger. From the corner of her eye, Calypso watched as the Doctor snatched a newspaper from the Colonel's lap, with Donna following closely behind him.

"Belgians make such lovely buns." Agatha answered with a wry grin. Everyone laughed, but Calypso couldn't focus on the conversation, especially since she could see Donna waving at her frantically. She considered ignoring her, but then it wasn't Donna she was angry with, nor was her quarrel with this incarnation of the Doctor. It was still proving difficult to convince herself of that last part. So she excused herself from the conversation quietly and walked over to the Doctor, who was frowning at the newspaper.

"The date on this newspaper," he spoke as Calypso approached, giving her the barest of nervous glances.

"What about it?" Donna asked.

"It's the date Agatha Christie disappeared."

"What?" Calypso's mouth felt dry, and her anger at the Doctor was suddenly unimportant.

"She's just discovered her husband is having an affair." The Doctor said with a raised eyebrow.

"You'd never think to look at her. Smiling away." Donna said, sounding impressed. But Calypso should have known it, it explained the miserable mood she'd been in, and why she'd allowed Calypso to drive with her at all.

"Well, she's British and moneyed. That's what they do. They carry on," the Doctor said with an exaggerated accent. "Except for this one time. No one knows exactly what happened, she just vanished."

"But-" Calypso's breath caught in her chest. "It can't- there has to be something we can do. She has a daughter." She had only spent the last few months with the family, but she had grown fond of them, even Rosalind, Agatha's daughter. She would hate to think of what would happen to Rosalind without her mother.

"It's alright," the Doctor said quickly. "She turns up. Her car will be found tomorrow morning by the side of a lake. Ten days later, Agatha Christie turns up in a hotel in Harrogate. Said she'd lost her memory. She never spoke about the disappearance till the day she died, but whatever it was…" He looked back at the group of party goers, now with an air of suspicion.

"It's about to happen." Donna said softly, she spared a quick glance at Agatha.

"Right here, right now." The Doctor agreed and then lapsed into silence.

"Alright, out with it. What's going on with you two?" Donna's eyes had narrowed at Calypso.

"Donna," the Doctor said warningly. "Not _now_."

"Don't 'not now' _me _mister. Accidental snogging is one thing, but _this_," she gestured between the two of them. "This is _awkward_-"

"Professor! The library! Murder! Murder!" The housemaid shrieked as she ran from the house, nearly collapsing as she reached Lady Eddison.

The Doctor took off running immediately, with Donna hot on his heels. Much to Calypso's surprise, Agatha also looked eager to investigate the scene as she parted from the group. Calypso sighed and jogged after them. They found the library not far into the massive estate, for which she was grateful. The Doctor was already on the floor, crouched next to the body and wearing thick rimmed glasses as he examined the prone man.

"Oh my goodness," the butler had followed them inside and now looked like he regretted the decision.

"Bashed on the head. Blunt instrument. Watch broke as he fell," the Doctor lifted the dead man's wrist and checked the face of the watch. "Time of death was quarter past four." He stood up, his eyes landing on the desk covered in a multitude of papers.

Donna hefted a small length of pipe that had fallen near the body. "Bit of pipe. Call me Hercule Poirot, but I reckon that's _blunt_ enough." She smirked at Calypso as Agatha ducked to retrieve something from the fire grate.

"Nothing worth killing for in that lot, dry as dust." The Doctor said as he dismissed the stacked papers he had shuffled through.

"Hold on. The body in the library?" Donna asked with a frown. "I mean, _Professor_ Peach, in the _library_, with the _lead piping_?" She looked to Calypso for support, but she didn't understand what she was getting at. "Ah, right, bit early for you. You'll get there."

The hall grew crowded with voices as the rest of the party appeared, each attempting to push past one another to get a better look. All were equally horrified and transfixed by the Professor's unmoving form laying sprawled on the fine rug. Lady Eddison burst into hysterics as her husband tried to calm her. The reverend shook his head as he muttered prayers and the other lady guest looked ready to faint as she babbled incoherently.

"Someone should call the police." Agatha said firmly over the tumult of voices.

"You don't have to." The Doctor spoke up, flashing about his wallet containing the psychic paper for all to see. "Chief Inspector Smith from Scotland Yard. Known as the Doctor. Miss Noble is the plucky young girl who helps me out." Donna made a face at that but said nothing.

"I say." Lady Eddison looked shocked that she'd accidently invited a police investigator to her afternoon soirée.

"Mrs. Christie was right. Go into the sitting room. I will question each of you in turn." The Doctor looked at them each pointedly.

"Come along, do as the Doctor says. Leave the room undisturbed." Agatha ushered everyone outside and Calypso was grateful to follow. After everyone had been ousted, Agatha closed the door behind her.

"Well, what a positively _dreadful_ way to start a party," Lady Eddison said, clutching a handkerchief to her mouth.

"It's good that the Doctor is here," Agatha said, trying to disguise her annoyance. "Everything will be alright. We'll get to the bottom of this and justice will be served."

Calypso couldn't quell the dread that was growing in her heart. She desperately wanted to warn Agatha, but she couldn't think of how. Nor could she think of what even to warn her _against_. Whatever it was, Calypso was determined to keep a keen eye out for it. If there was anything she'd learned, it was that she could not always rely on the Doctor.


	44. Eddison Manor Part 2

_A/N: Yoooo. If you got an alert for two updates, that's a lie. I am editing some earlier chapters, and I've just split one chapter into two. So I had to add that as a new chapter. But it's really just an updated old chapter. But lucky you! There is an actual update. There just aren't two. Sorry beans. _

* * *

><p><strong>-1926-<strong>

**-Eddison Manor-**

* * *

><p>"Maiden!" She heard the Doctor shout as she approached the door. It was open just a crack and she could see they were stooped over a small scrap of paper. The interviews had all been conducted and everyone was taking drinks in the parlor in an effort to calm their nerves. Lady Eddison in particular, was anxious to hear the results, and so she had asked Calypso to see if the Doctor and Agatha had come to any conclusion.<p>

"We're still no further forward." Agatha said, sounding defeated. "Our nemesis remains at large. Unless Miss Noble's found something."

That was all the answer she really needed, but she hated to have come by it from eavesdropping, so she knocked on the door before she opened it further.

"Yes, what is it?" Agatha looked up as Calypso pushed her head through the doorway.

"Sorry to interrupt. The guests are wondering if you've discovered the murderer yet."

"No," the Doctor said absently, and then his head shot up with an idea. "No. In fact, because we've not gathered all the evidence. I haven't finished interviewing the suspects." He locked eyes with Calypso and she realized quite suddenly who he meant.

"Come now, Doctor. You don't really mean to have us interview each other." Agatha scoffed at the idea.

"No, that's not likely. You're not the violent sort, and frankly, I just don't have the time. But," he stuffed his hands into his pockets and nodded toward Calypso. "I'm afraid we've both overlooked your assistant."

Agatha gave a short laugh. "Right you are. I suppose it would look strange to skip her entirely. Very well, Callie, why don't you come have a seat." She gestured for Calypso to come make herself comfortable on the leather chair in the center of the room. The Doctor dropped himself casually onto the couch and Agatha took a seat next to him. "Now, Calypso. This is largely cursory, so please don't worry yourself." Agatha reassured her with a smile. Calypso couldn't explain that it wasn't the implication that she was a murderer that was making her nervous, so much as it was her close proximity to the Doctor.

"But," the Doctor interrupted Agatha as she started to speak. "As she is _your_ assistant. It might be a bit peculiar for you to be here for the interview. Might be best if I conducted this one alone, Mrs. Christie."

Now Calypso was genuinely concerned.

"Well-" Agatha made a skeptical face. "You don't really believe my _secretary_ had anything to with this? She's been by my side all afternoon."

"Was she?" The Doctor scratched the side of his face thoughtfully. It was just a casual gesture, but Calypso recognized it as where she had slapped him. "She's been by your side _every_ single moment?"

"I-" Agatha shook her head to argue, but realized that there had been times when she hadn't known Calypso's whereabouts. "Well I suppose I can't account for her _every_ moment, but I can assure you-"

"Mrs. Christie, don't fret. I don't suspect your secretary of any wrong doing. But there's a houseful of frightened people who might think it deeply suspicious if you had a hand in the interrogation. It could look a bit unbalanced to the rest of them."

"I suppose you make a valid point," Agatha admitted.

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind," Calypso said quickly. "After all, I'm only her secretary. It's not as though Mrs. Christie would unfairly judge me."

"Callie, you have my utmost confidence. But the Doctor is correct, the people out there are skittish and afraid. Give them any excuse and they will turn on each other. I trust his judgment, and I think you should too."

Part of her wanted to argue, part of her knew that she could convince Agatha not to leave her in the room alone with him. But then at the very least she would become suspicious of the Doctor, which would make the job of finding the actual murderer more difficult. She had been the one to start the confrontation, she would have to face the consequences now, as much as she'd like not to. "Of course," she nodded.

"Let me know when you've finished. I'll see if Miss Noble has come up with any results." Agatha said, and with a short nod, she left the room.

The Doctor watched her go, and then he leaned over his knees, his eyes searching Calypso's face unnervingly. "So, am I correct in assuming you did _not_ murder the Professor?" Calypso fixed him with a glare.

The Doctor jumped up to his feet, pacing the room. "So you _did_ kill him? Well, that's a _bit_ of a surprise, I have to admit." He stuffed his hands into his pockets, a silly smile lingering on his lips. He was desperately trying to lighten the mood, and really she wanted nothing more than for him to succeed, but she couldn't quite return the smile.

Calypso shifted uncomfortably in her chair, she knew her anger had been misplaced. But it didn't mean she could immediately forgive him, even if it wasn't the same man. "I'm sorry," she kept her eyes focused on the floor. "I just- I'm not quite ready." She didn't know if that would make any sense, but when she risked a glance up, she saw his smile had faded.

"That's alright. How many has it been?" He asked softly as he looked into the empty fireplace. "Meetings." He clarified.

"This will be fourteen." She didn't recall the Doctor asking last time, which made the possibility of it being his last even more likely. Maybe he had even known.

"Ah," he looked at her again, a hesitant smile on his face. "You're only a bit ahead of me this time." He held up a strand of pearls for her to inspect. "Eleven. You were…quite a bit further the last time we got on." They lapsed into silence again as he stuffed the strand back into his pocket. "I presume I deserved it?"

"Not yet," she finally admitted, suddenly ashamed. "But you will."

"Right you are," he said with a miserable smile. "I am sorry, you know. For whatever it was I did, for what I'm going to do. I promise you, I'd never mean to hurt you-"

"But you did," the words rang sharply. She knew it wasn't him she should be angry with, but that didn't mean he couldn't be held accountable. He was the same man, if not the same age. He was still just as capable of those actions. Even telling him now changed nothing, he was still going to do those things, in the future. He had to see how wrong that was. How it cut her.

"You sent me away." She could feel the lump in her throat forming, but she refused to let it silence her. "I told you that I wanted to help you, and you still sent me away. Even worse, you _tricked_ me into leaving."

The Doctor looked stung, but resolved. "Calypso, I didn't send you away because I wanted to. I did it for your own protection-"

"I don't _need_ your protection. I'm not some doll that you need to put in a case. I'm a _person_, with my own feelings and choices. And you _lied_ to me. You lied to me and you might be dead-" Her voice caught in her throat, she had stood up at some point, unable to contain herself.

"Calypso…" he stepped closer, anxious to hold her, to stop whatever hurt he had caused her, but she held her arms out, warding him off. If she let him now, she'd break down entirely.

"You thought you were going to die, so you sent me away. But I _wanted_ to stay. If I had a choice, I would _always_ stay." She breathed slowly, fighting against her emotions, but knowing she was losing. She couldn't begin to tell him how desperately she wanted to stay. "But I _can't_, I only meet you by happenstance, and so rarely. For you to just _willingly_ push me away… If I knew they were my last moments, I'd want to spend them with _you_. I just can't- I can't understand why-" A sob caught in her throat and she blinked furiously, fighting the tears that threatened to fall. "It might have been my last chance to-" she shook her head, a miserable smile choking off the last of her words. He might be gone, forever. And she'd never told him how she felt. Her face crumpled as another sob overtook her, she covered her face and turned from the Doctor, trying to hide the tears that fell freely.

"No, no, don't do that." The Doctor closed the distance between them, wrapping her in his arms before she could protest. "Calypso, I'm so so sorry." He murmured softly in her ear as he stroked her hair. She knew now she hadn't been really been angry, she was terrified. Terrified that she'd just seen the last of her Doctor. "I'm sorry," he whispered over and over as he rocked her gently. She nodded, her face buried into his shoulder as she felt the hurt wash over her. The words helped sooth the pain, _he_ helped unburden her fears. But it didn't erase what had happened.

"Listen," he said, when her shoulders had finally stopped shaking. "I don't know the circumstances, so I can't be completely certain of my reasoning. But if things were so bad, that I thought they would be my last moments, I'd still send you away."

She pulled back, the anger quickly replacing what was last of her sorrow. She didn't want him to say that. She wanted him to promise her he'd never do it again, even though she knew at some point he would only break that promise.

"Not because I wouldn't want to be with you," he said quickly, noting the change in her demeanor. "But because I wouldn't want them to be _your_ last moments as well. Not ever. And I'd certainly not want them to be your last if I knew I could have done something to change that."

"But that's just it," she shook her head. Her eyes were no doubt red and puffy, but he didn't look aghast so much as wretched that he'd been the one to cause it. "They probably wouldn't have been my last. I always jump when things get bad. It's part of what I am."

"How can I rely on that? Calypso, you're _important_ to me. _So_ so important. I wouldn't take that chance. I don't know what causes you to jump. The Tardis, stimulated nerve endings, a random blip in the universe? I have no idea what it is. So I don't know you'll always be safe. I know I made the right call, because however things ended, and however cross you are with me, and rightly so, you're _here_. With me. So I wouldn't change what I did. Not for anything."

The way he looked at her made it impossible to doubt him, not for a second. Whatever his reasons, it had nothing to do with who or what she was, or whether he trusted her. He was afraid to lose her, just like she was afraid to lose him. "I didn't get to say goodbye." That still clawed at her, a crushing weight of regret over her heart when she thought she might never see him again.

"Oh," he said with a sad smile. "I'm rubbish at goodbyes. Ask anyone." He squeezed her tighter. "I'm sorry I was a right git. Truly, I am."

"I know, I'm sorry I hit you." She had acted like a cruel and petulant child, lashing out when she might have just told him why she was upset.

He laughed at that, and kissed the top of her head. "Don't be, I look forward to many more stern scoldings from you, Miss Calypso. I have it on good authority that you'll be seeing me for a bit longer. A little bird told me you'll collect at least twenty-one of those beads before you swear off time lords entirely."

"That little bird seems to think I've got more patience for your kind than I actually do," she said, a genuine smile curling her lips. It was a relief to know he'd seen her future self, and that she'd have plenty more visits to go. _But not an infinite number_, a cold voice reminded her.

"Birds always bring hope. That's why I'm so fond of them." His hand slid to her cheek, gently brushing away the last of her tears with his thumb. "And you."

She melted under that gaze of his, struggling to get her racing heart under control. "Did you just call me a bird?" She asked as he leaned forward, unable to resist teasing him once more.

"Well, I suppose that depends." He said with a grin, his lips just barely touching her own. "What answer is likely to get me in the least amount of trouble-"

They were interrupted by Donna's shrill screams echoing down the hall. They both froze, the mood effectively doused by a sudden fear that Donna was in real trouble.

"Then again, I always seem to have more than my fair share." His arms slid down her shoulders but he clasped her hand and pulled her toward the door, racing down the hall to find Donna. "Come on!"

"Doctor!" Donna continued to shout from upstairs, which meant at the very least, she was still alive. Agatha joined them on the stairs, also desperate to reach Donna in time.

"It's a giant wasp!" Donna had her back pressed against the wall, shaking, but otherwise unharmed.

They were all taken aback, expecting to hear some clue about their murderer. "What d'you mean, a giant _wasp_?" The Doctor asked.

"I mean," Donna rolled her eyes as she enunciated her words. "A wasp, that's _giant_."

"It's only a silly little insect." Agatha chided her. Donna had gathered herself, and was not amused by the scorn in Agatha's voice.

"When I say giant," Donna narrowed her eyes in Agatha's direction. "I don't mean _big_, I mean flippin' _enormous_!" She threw her hands wide and pointed to the door behind her. "Look at its sting!"

Calypso saw it immediately, an enormous black piece of something indistinguishable had managed to pierce through the solid wood door. It did look like a giant stinger, or fang, which did little to comfort her.

The Doctor was the first to move, "Let me see." He opened the door to investigate the room, but shook his head. "It's gone. Buzzed off."

"But that's fascinating…" Agatha said as she crouched near the door, her hand reaching to inspect the alien thing. Calypso was still frozen in place, having no desire to get any closer to it.

"D-Don't touch it! Don't touch it! Let me…" the Doctor produced a small glass tube from his pocket and gathered up some of the slime that was still oozing from the stinger. "Giant wasp…" he said thoughtfully to himself. "Well, tons of amorphous insectivorous life forms, but none in this galactic vector."

"I think I understood some of those words. Enough to know that you're completely potty." Agatha said, shaking her head. Calypso had only understood some of them herself, but she _knew_ he was completely potty. Though it didn't seem like sharing that with her would help their situation.

"Lost its sting though, that makes it defenseless." Donna said with a shrug, as though that somehow improved their odds of surviving a giant wasp attack.

"Oh, creature this size, got to be able to grow a new one." The Doctor said, tapping the glass tube against his finger. Calypso found that the more they spoke, the less safe she felt.

"Can we return to sanity? There are no such things as giant wasps!" Agatha looked to Calypso for support, but Calypso could only offer a questionable shrug. She had herself, seen stranger things.

"Exactly," said the Doctor as he turned to face them. "So, question is, what's it doing here?"


	45. Eddison Manor Part 3

_A/N: If you think these quick updates are a desperate bid to buy back your love. You're absolutely right. That's totally what this is. I'M SORRY FOR BEING SUCH A FLAKE FOR SO LONG. Also mild veerage from canon, but I couldn't do away with a lot of the scene because it is my favorite scene. So apologies to those who are a bit bored by scripts from the show!_

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><p><strong>-1926-<strong>

**-Eddison Manor-**

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><p>The scream came from outside, followed by a sizeable thud. The Doctor met Calypso's eyes briefly, and then they were running down the stairs in a group. They burst out onto the drive and found the source quickly. Miss Chandrakala was crushed beneath a stone gargoyle, desperately struggling against the weight as she gasped for air. Calypso knelt next to the woman as the Doctor pushed the stone aside, but her breathing was frightfully ragged.<p>

Miss Chandrakala grasped Calypso's hand, "The poor…little…child." She whispered, her voice choked with moisture. Then her eyes faded, and she slumped back to the ground.

"Is she…" she searched the Doctor's eyes, but his grave face told her Miss Chandrakala was dead.

"Doctor, look!" Donna shouted, pointing toward the roof. Calypso heard the buzzing before she saw the creature, lurking just above the crumbled architecture where the gargoyle had fallen.

"Come on!" The Doctor shouted as he sprinted for the manor again. Donna hesitated, seeing Calypso still crouched with Miss Chandrakala.

"I'll make sure she's taken care of. Keep him out of trouble." She nodded, Donna smirked and took off after Agatha and the Doctor. Calypso turned to find Greeves approaching, a grim look on his face. "I'm sorry, I think she's-" she felt cruel to be the one to break the news when they were so unfamiliar to each other.

"The Doctor has informed me if the incident." He gave a sharp nod and produced a white linen sheet. "I've arranged for a gurney to be brought. We'll put her down in the cellar as well." He grew quiet as he placed the fabric over the woman's still form as gently as if she might yet be disturbed.

"I'm sorry," Calypso repeated, helping lay the sheet flat as the wind tried to ruffle it. "The Doctor will find who's responsible."

Greeves slowly tucked the sheet beneath Miss Chandrakala, his stern face unreadable. "She's been a member of the household since my father worked here." He said quietly. "I'm not sure we'll recover from this-" He looked up as he finished, suddenly remembering that Calypso was a mere stranger. "Lady Eddison, I'm not sure Lady Eddison will recover."

Calypso nodded as two of the servants came up with a plank of wood between them. "Please, let me know if there's anything I can do." She offered. Greeves gave a curt nod and then directed the men to carefully gather up Miss Chandrakala and escorted them back into the manor. The Doctor had returned by then, looking disappointed.

"We lost him." He said sharply as he watched the men carry Miss Chandrakala away. "If I could just figure out what it wants." He kicked the stony drive in frustration, scattering gravel as he did so.

"Do giant wasps generally have a motive?" She didn't mean to make light, but she had a hard time understanding what the Doctor could have meant.

"It's a vespiform. It's not actually from our planet."

"So it's like…like us?" She asked, suddenly intrigued by the creature despite its horrid behavior.

"Well," the Doctor shrugged. "If you mean alien to _this _planet, yes. But it's from a completely different galaxy as well. And it's a shape shifter. Which is why it can buzz around _murdering _people and then suddenly transform itself back into its human form." He shook his head. "Tell you what, I've had a thought. Pop into the kitchen while they're preparing supper. See if you can't sneak some pepper into the dish. Might help sort out our vespiform problem."

"Okay," it seemed an odd request, but Calypso trusted that the Doctor knew what he was doing.

"I'll have a chat with Agatha. Keep an eye out," he said with a nod and turned back to the manor. "Oh," he turned suddenly, pointing his finger at her accusingly. "And stay out of trouble."

"You first." She snorted.

"Atta girl." He grinned and winked at her, heading back inside.

Calypso followed the path Greeves had taken, anticipating it to be the quickest into the kitchens. She expected there would be some protest to her being there at all, but between the bustling activity, and the red rimmed eyes of many of the workers, she went largely unnoticed. The reverend had stopped by, saying a few words of comfort to those who needed it, and then disappeared into the cellar to say a prayer over Miss Chandrakala.

Calypso took advantage of her newfound invisibility and scooped up a pepper shaker from one of the shelves, but found it more of a challenge to actually get it into the food. She eyed a large pot of soup over the stove where she might dispose of the pepper, but Mrs. Hart had yet to leave the kitchen. She lingered in the bustle, pretending to inspect the food, all the while the pepper shaker clutched tight in her fist.

Greeves appeared, preparing a set of drinks in a mechanical way until he found they'd run out of mint sprigs. He interrupted Mrs. Hart to inquire if they had any more, and she led him away to the pantry. Seeing her opportunity, Calypso jumped forward, dumping the pepper into the creamy soup. The Doctor hadn't mentioned how much pepper would be needed, so she erred on the side of caution and emptied the entire shaker.

The reverend appeared from the cellar, causing her to start. He smiled politely and Calypso turned to pick up the spoon, as though she were merely helping out. He finally disappeared and she let out a sigh of relief, the stirring had disguised the pepper well enough that she doubted anyone would be suspicious.

"What are you up to?" Mrs. Hart's voice made her jump as she turned, guilt written across her face.

"Oh, sorry, I just…" Calypso struggled to come up with a convincing lie under the stern gaze of Mrs. Hart. "I was just…curious to see what kind of soup you were serving."

"Cream of barley." The woman's eyes narrowed further with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Oh, that's-that's a relief. Mrs. Christie has a weak constitution, so she struggles with some foods."

"And you were concerned about the _soup_?" It occurred to Calypso that the best way to put Mrs. Hart at ease was probably not in questioning her culinary expertise. Unfortunately, that realization came a bit late.

"No, of course not." She corrected quickly. "It's just, I know Lady Eddison had spent so much time in India. I've heard the food can be quite spicy. I didn't mean to cause any offense."

Mrs. Hart sniffed, satisfied, if not pleased with the answer. "Well if Mrs. Christie has any other needs or concerns, I'll be happy to arrange something new." The words were curt, and a clear dismissal.

"Well, thank you. She will pleased to hear that. It all smells quite lovely," Calypso said with a nervous smile as she made her way to the door.

"Ginger beer!" The Doctor burst into the kitchen. Sweat was beading across his forehead and he staggered into the counter, gasping for air.

"Doctor?" Calypso helped him stand straight again, whatever had happened in her absence, he was clearly unwell.

"I beg your pardon?" Mrs. Hart was displeased that she had another unwelcome intruder in the kitchens.

"I need ginger beer!" The Doctor pushed off the counter and examined the shelves on his own when no one moved. His arms clumsily searched, sending bottles and packages smashing onto the tile floor. Donna and Agatha both appeared behind the Doctor, looking equally concerned. The Doctor found what he was looking for and guzzled half the bottle in one breath. He dumped some of the remainder over his head.

"Donna, what's happened?" Calypso clutched at her arm, the Doctor clearly wasn't capable of answering as his eyes darted around the kitchen and another gasping attack had him clutching his chest.

"Well, there was-" Donna stammered, hesitant to explain. "The Doctor's been given cyanide."

"I don't understand-" Calypso shook her head, refusing to believe the words she had heard.

"I'm an expert in poisons, Doctor. There's no cure, it's fatal!" Agatha explained to him miserably as he gargled another swig of the beer, spraying it across the floor as though he might rinse out the poison.

"But he can't-" Calypso's voice broke as she realized very suddenly, that he _could_. She had met his new face, she _knew_ he could die. This could be his end, and she found she wasn't prepared for it at all.

"Not for me," the Doctor said, though his voice was ragged. "I can stimulate the inhibited enzymes into reversal...protein-" he clenched his teeth and let out an agonized groan as he began to slide to the floor. Calypso rushed forward and steadied him, keeping him upright. She continued to cling to him, afraid to let him go. "I need protein!" He said as his breaths came in short pained gasps. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably as he trembled beneath her grip. He wasn't afraid, she could tell that even in his delirium, but he was weak and fading, and that scared her desperately.

"How bout walnuts?" Donna asked as she rushed over with a jar.

"Brilliant," he nodded, he tore off the lid and stuffed handfuls of them into his mouth. "Lt!" He nodded to Donna, chewing quickly. "Eed alt!"

"I can't understand you!" Donna shook her head, a mix of exasperation and panic twisting her features. "How many words?" The Doctor held up one finger, still struggling to swallow the dry nuts. "One! One word!" She was relieved to have understood that much. The Doctor shook his hand, unable to articulate what he needed with words. "Ah. Shake, milk shake, _milk_? No, not milk? Hm, shake shake...cocktail shaker!" The Doctor shook his head, growing increasingly frustrated. "What do you want, a Harvey Wallbanger?!"

The Doctor swallowed and stared at Donna in disbelief. "_Harvey Wallbanger_?!"

"Well I don't know!"

"How is _Harvey Wallbanger_ one word?! Salt, I was miming salt! I need something salty!"

Donna rolled her eyes and turned back to the counter. She held out a brown bag and offered it to the Doctor. "Here, what about this?"

"What is it?" His legs started to give way and Calypso struggled to keep him standing.

"Salt!"

"That's too salty!" The Doctor said, shaking his head.

"Oh, that's _too _salty." Donna muttered as she returned to help Agatha search.

"Here Doctor," Agatha held out another jar, anchovies floating in oil and the Doctor nodded quickly. He held Calypso's shoulder with one hand and tilted his head back, pouring the contents into his mouth. He struggled to speak again, and so began to pantomime.

"What is it? What else? It's a song? Mammy?" Donna struggled, mimicking the way the Doctor was flicking his hands. "Um, I don't know. Captown Races?"

"_Camptown races_?" The Doctor shouted when he had swallowed the fish. Calypso wished he was a little more concerned with getting what he needed, than chiding Donna, but there wasn't time to argue.

"Alright then, Towering Inferno!" Donna rolled her eyes.

"It's a _shock_! Look! Shock!" He repeated the gesture. "I need a shock!"

"Right then." Donna said, a look of determination settling on her features. "Big shock, coming up!" She grabbed the sides of his face and looked ready to head butt him.

"I-I'm pregnant!" Calypso shouted, hoping that would serve just as well as blunt trauma. The Doctor turned toward her, his eyes wide but Donna's hands still squishing his face comically. Then his body tensed and he stumbled backward, throwing his head back and coughing up a gray cloud of ash that dissipated overhead. He groaned and took in a deep breath, steadying himself as he looked up.

"Ah!" He shook his head, wiping the mess from his mouth. "That's a relief."

Both Calypso and Donna gave him a dirty look.

"I mean, the, the detox." He clarified.

"Doctor, you are _impossible_!" Agatha stared at him, open mouthed.

"Oh yes," he said with a grin and clicked his tongue.

"Callie, are you telling me-"

"Donna!" He interrupted quickly. "I need you to gather everyone for dinner. Make sure they're all there. Agatha, put on your thinking cap. If my plan falls through, we're going to need to crack this the old fashion way. Calypso, with me." He nodded for the door. Donna raised her eyebrow, but shrugged, following Agatha out of the room and saving her questions for a later date. "Come on," the Doctor grabbed Calypso's hand, his eyes locked on hers for a moment before he led her out to the lawn.


	46. Eddison Manor Part 4

_A/N: I edited this with a cat on my shoulder. It was a challenge. _

_Also, if you're remotely interested in more random Doctor adventures, Sarbrook and I wrote a story together a hundred years ago. And then we just now decided to add the bits we mostly got written. So that's going to be updated a couple times over the next few weeks, until it's promptly abandoned again. But it's going to be a standalone story, so the abandonment shouldn't be too rough. So you should check it out, and maybe write a review (to try and guilt Sarbrook into coming back and finishing her story? But I didn't say that. No one heard or saw me say that. NO ONE HEARD ME SUGGEST THAT.) The link is in my profile and it's called "The Hollow Man". If you have no interest in that whatsoever, carry on my friend! [/end shameless self plug]_

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><p><strong>-1926-<strong>

**-Eddison Manor-**

"Doctor," Calypso whispered in the dark. "What are we looking for?" The storm clouds rolled overhead and gave the night air a sharp chill. Whatever they hunted for here in the dark was hidden from her eyes by shifting shadows. The first spits of rain splashed against Calypso's neck, causing her to shiver. They stopped at the wire trellis, just beyond the warm glow of light from inside the manor. The Doctor's face was difficult to see in the shadows, but he looked well enough recovered from the poison, if a little disheveled with his wet hair.

"Looking for?" He searched her face, perplexed. "We're not looking for anything."

"Then…what are we doing out here?" She couldn't say she wasn't glad to be spending time with him, but with the rapidly growing list of victims, she had expected a heightened sense of urgency on the Doctor's part.

"Calypso, you've just told me you're pregnant. I have to assume it's because…well…" he drawled, looking uneasy as he ran a hand through his damp hair.

"Oh," she shook her head quickly as color rushed to her face. "No, I'm- I'm not. I just-" her tongue felt like lead in her mouth as she stumbled to explain herself, especially under the watchful gaze of the Doctor. "Miss Chandrakala mentioned a child…it just, stuck in my head. Thought it would be…shocking." She finished lamely.

"Oh," his voice went higher as he nodded. "So we've not-" he gestured between them. "At least, not-" he met her eyes, for the first time looking embarrassed. "No. No, no. Don't- don't answer that. Stupid question. Don't- just," he shook his head and opened his mouth once more before shutting it. "Don't."

"Right." She had to admit, she rather enjoyed seeing the Doctor flustered, but then she was also relieved. Relieved she didn't have to share the fact that they _had_, only he'd been a different man at the time. She wasn't sure how he'd react to such news, and she wasn't in a hurry to find out.

"Sorry," he shook his head with a sheepish grin. "Just got a bit- Didn't think I'd ever be- Well, guess I'm _not_, am I." He smirked, but it was laced with sadness.

"You've never had children?" For some reason the idea surprised Calypso, though she wasn't sure she'd given it much thought before.

"Oh, I was. Long long time ago."

Something in the way his voice caught broke her heart. The silence lingered between them. "On Gallifrey?" She asked softly. He nodded as he stared out into the storm, a brilliant flash of light in the distance highlighted the bleakness in his face. She didn't need him to elaborate. A great and terrible war, he had said to her. Many years before. She hadn't wanted to listen then, she'd been too angry, too broken. Too focused on her own sense of wrongdoing. It had never struck her until now that he'd not just lost his home. He'd lost everything that he'd ever once held dear. He lost his life, and he blamed himself. She could see how similar they were now, and it cut her that she'd never understood it before. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

"S'alright," he said hollowly, finally meeting her eyes. "It was a long time ago." But it was clear from the tightness in his jaw that it wasn't alright. It never would be. She took his hand and interlaced his fingers with her own, hoping to share at least some of the burden. He looked down, and while there was still pain in his eyes, he managed to smile. "It is good to see you again."

"I'm glad my foul mood hasn't soured your opinion yet," she said with a small smile.

"Never."

"Oi, you two. We've got a murder to be solving. And more importantly, _dinner_." Donna stood at the door, hands on her hips. "Not really the time for handholding, yeah?" She sounded annoyed, but she wore a smug grin as she waited for them.

"Right," the Doctor nodded. His melancholy vanished beneath a look of determination. "Shall we?" He bobbed his head toward Donna and they both headed back the way they had come.

"If you're looking for ideas, my middle name is 'Catherine'." Donna said under her breath as they passed. "Just saying."

"Donna," the Doctor said shortly. "No one is having a baby."

She snorted. "Well, maybe not _yet_."

He shook his head, but stifled any further comments. "Come on, we've got a murder to solve with Agatha Christie." His grin returned as they entered the dining room, mingling with the rest of the guests who had already arrived.

Greeves struck a crystal glass a few times to signal the meal was about to be served and they all took their seats. The soup was the first dish, and when the Doctor gave her a questioning glance, Calypso nodded. They ate in silence for a moment, only the storm billowing outside interrupting the soft clinking of silverware and the occasional slurp.

"A terrible day for all of us," the Doctor finally spoke, scrutinizing everyone as they ate. "The Professor struck down, Miss Chandrakala taken cruelly from us...and yet we still take dinner."

Lady Eddison put down her spoon, offended he had broken the somber mood. "We are British, Doctor. What else must we do?"

The Doctor gave a shrug. "Then someone tried to poison me. Any one of you had the chance to put cyanide in my drink. But it rather gave me an idea."

"And what would that be?" The reverend asked casually.

"Well…poison. Drink up!" The Doctor said, cheerfully slurping up more of the soup. Donna dropped her spoon and gave the Doctor a dark look. The remainder of the guests all looked at each other, worry etched on their faces. "I've laced the soup with pepper." He winked at Calypso.

"Ah, I thought it was jolly spicy." The colonel said approvingly, clearly enjoying the meal. The lights flickered above as the tree bashed against the window once more.

"But the active ingredient of pepper is piperine. Traditionally used as an insecticide." The Doctor leaned forward, meeting the eyes of everyone at the table. "So, anyone got the shivers?"

A flash of lightning followed by booming thunder caused everyone to jump. The wind picked up once again, thrashing the high branch against the window until it finally burst through. The lights flickered and then died completely. Lady Eddison screamed as the wind tore through the room, dousing the few candles that had been lit.

"Listen…listen," the Doctor shushed them all. "Listen!" The wind still howled through the open window, but above that, they could hear a waspy buzzing.

"No, it can't be…" Lady Eddison's voice was a dreadful moan.

"Show yourself, demon!" Agatha shouted in the darkness. Calypso leapt up from her seat, hearing the guests cry out as they struggled to escape the room.

"Nobody move! No, don't, stay where you are!" The Doctor struggled to keep everyone calm, waiting for the next flash of lightning to reveal the location of the creature, and hopefully, its identity. Calypso stood frozen, desperately trying to listen to where the buzzing was coming from. Another flash of light showed her it was directly across the room, headed in her direction. She gasped as she stumbled backwards, darkness swallowed them again and she could hear it knocking aside crystal and dishes as it swarmed over the table. She was hit sideways and collapsed to the floor as the wasps vibrating wings beat the air over her. It struck the wall with a thud and spun away to search for another victim.

"Well, that was closer than I would have liked," the Doctor said from above her. He pushed himself to his feet and pulled Calypso up behind him. "Out, out out!" He shouted to the room, dragging Calypso stumbling through the dark as they ran for the door. They emerged in a small room where Donna and Greeves stood plastered against the wall. Agatha too had escaped, though she strained to look through the door to see who the attacker could be.

"Well, we know the butler didn't do it." Donna said a little breathlessly.

The Doctor grabbed a sword from its display on the wall and turned back to the doors. "Then who did?" He asked, his frustration finally bubbling over as he burst back into the room. Calypso fumbled with a nearby candle, hoping to light the way, but she needn't have bothered, as the lights returned a few moments later. The room itself was a disaster, serving dishes and furniture scattered about, but nearly everyone was still inside.

"My jewelry! The Firestone! It's gone!" Lady Eddison shrieked as she clutched at her chest. The large purple and gold gem did seem to be missing, but Calypso didn't think that was immediately concerning.

"Roger…" one of the servants spoke softly, staring at the dining table. Calypso followed his gaze and her breath caught in her throat. Roger was lying face down on the table, a knife stuck deep in his back. Lady Eddison didn't comprehend the truth of it immediately, her mouth hung open as she stared. She staggered forward, a pained moan escaping her mouth as she tried to reach out.

"My son…" her voice was raspy but it rose to a scream. "My child!"


	47. Eddison Manor Part 5

_A/N: I did some snipping as far as the episode went, because it was largely dialogue. So if you haven't seen 'The Unicorn and the Wasp' you will probably be missing some vital deductions here. But you should likely get the gist of it. Also you should definitely go watch that episode immediately. Also this one is a bit short. Sorry, it felt like a good break. _

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><p><strong>-1926-<strong>

**-Eddison Manor-**

"So he killed them? Yes? Definitely?" Donna had accused nearly every single person in the room of being the murderer, and she had yet to be correct. Of course, with Agatha's winding tale, and the Doctor's strange logic, Calypso had trouble following the story herself.

"Yes." The Doctor confirmed with a grave nod.

"Well…" The reverend stammered, the accusation landing heavy on his shoulders as the eyes of everyone turned on him. "This has certainly been a most entertaining evening." He chuckled, but no one joined in his laughter. Too many people had died, and the reverend had guilt etched plain across his face. "Really, you can't believe any of this surely, Lady Eddizzz…" he turned to her for support, but his throat tightened as he struggled to say her name.

"Lady who?" The Doctor asked.

"Lady Eddizzzon…" the reverend's buzzing drowned out his words. Calypso felt fear tighten in her chest as it dawned on her that this man that sat in front of them wasn't a man at all, but the creature that had been hunting them.

"Little bit of buzzing there, Vicar?" The Doctor raised his eyebrows as the reverend continued to struggle.

"_Don't_ make me angry!" He snarled as he leapt from his chair.

"Why? What happens then?" The Doctor seemed more curious than afraid, but Calypso didn't share his sentiment.

"Damn it!" The reverend could feel the weight of their eyes now. "You humans! Wasting your lives on false idols and trivial parties!" His speech was peppered with the buzzing, unable to contain the noise any longer "I am a _god_! The universe exploded in my mind! I am so _much_ better than you! You are puny, insignificant _pawns_! What's to stop me from killing you? From killing you all?"

"Oh, my dear god," Lady Eddison was the only one to approach him, desperation in her eyes. "My child!" She reached out for him, but he shook his head.

"You abandoned me. You _left_ me." Calypso pressed her back against the wall as he lurched away from the group, hoping to stay hidden from view.

"Forgive me!" Lady Eddison's eyes were filled with tears, but the colonel held her back, sensing the violence in the man.

"Animals! All of you!" He accused them, hate in his eyes. His whole body shook as he struggled more and more to speak. "How dare you judge _me_! But now I pass judgment. You're all unworthy!"

"No! No more murder!" Agatha cried out, holding the Firestone aloft, the thing that had laced him with such anger and brutality. "If my imagination made you kill, then my imagination will find a way to stop you, foul creature!"

"Give that back!" He hissed at her. Agatha shook her head and turned to run from the room, but the reverend dove for Calypso, pulling her against him. "Give it to me or she dies!" Calypso struggled in his grip, misjudging the man's strength. But she froze when she felt the cold metal against her temple. "Give me the stone or I'll shoot her."

"Callie…" Agatha stopped in her tracks, unsure what to do.

"Don't-" Calypso shook her head. Whatever it was he wanted with the stone, she had no doubt it was trouble. That didn't mean she wasn't just as terrified of what he was capable of without it. Her heart pounded in her chest, the barrel of the gun pressed hard into her skin, leaving behind an imprint.

"Everyone just stop!" The Doctor interrupted her. "Just stop. Agatha, give it here." Agatha pushed the jeweled necklace into the Doctor's hands and the Doctor slowly walked toward them. "We can resolve this reverend. Just don't do anything rash."

"Hand it to me," the reverend kept his arm wrapped around Calypso, but he reached out with his hand, gesturing for the Doctor to give the necklace to him.

"Let her go first," the Doctor's voice was deadly serious as he stopped just short of reaching them. "That's the arrangement. The necklace for her."

"You're not in a position to negotiate, Doctor." The reverend trembled as he spoke, barely containing himself in his human form. Calypso heard the metallic click of the hammer being drawn back and her breath caught in her chest. "What's one more dead body?"

"Alright!" The Doctor held up his hands in surrender. "Just, here- Just take it." He dropped the Firestone into the reverends outreached hand. He lowered his arm slowly, his fingers just brushing against Calypso's arm, ready to snatch her back once the reverend released her. She swallowed as she met his gaze, trying to hide the fear she felt, but she saw it already reflected in the Doctor's own eyes. "Now _please_, let her go."

"I know how these novels end," the Reverend spat as he yanked Calypso backward with him, out of the Doctor's reach. He dragged her through the doorway. "I'll not rot in a cell. If you follow me, she dies." He promised as he kicked the door shut, backing out into the manor hallway. He pushed Calypso forward and grabbed the back of her neck to keep her moving, his grip like a vice.

"Come along," he said, his head twitching in an agitated way. The buzzing murmured in his throat as they stumbled out of the manor. "We're going for a ride."


	48. Eddison Manor Part 6

_A/N: Hey there...pay no mind to the person who disappears for extended periods of time for no reason. Hey- what's that?_

∋(°O°)∈

_an emoticon blowfish to distract you from what a terrible and evil updater I've been? That's...that's... I'll tell you what, that's ridicul-*flees*_

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><p><strong>-1926-<strong>

**-Eddison Manor-**

The hard frame of the steering wheel was digging into Calpyso's palms. If they stopped now, she wasn't entirely sure she'd be able to remove her grip. But the reverend gave no implication that he wanted to stop. He hadn't spoken beyond giving her instructions to drive. Now he gazed out the rain slicked windows. Whether he was surveying the darkened scenery, or lost in his own thoughts, she wasn't sure.

The stone remained in his lap, fluttering with life. He gripped it with a clawed hand, as though afraid to release it.

"It shouldn't have been like this," his voice was quiet but it had still startled Calypso who'd been straining to see the road beyond the dim headlights. He didn't sound angry anymore, just confused. "If I had just been _told_ I could have- If she hadn't _abandoned_ me." The buzzing rose in his throat but it subsided almost immediately. She risked a quick glance toward him. The purple of the stone made his features stark, but they were twisted in pain, not fury.

"What she did was misguided," she tried to choose her words carefully. Her eyes danced between the rear view mirror and the road and her heart fluttered, a pair of headlights followed. They were some distance away, but she knew with an unwavering certainty that it was the Doctor. "But she was afraid. She didn't give you up to hurt you. Your father was dead and she was left alone. She did what she thought was best."

"_Best_? She should not have colluded with- with a _monster_ in the first place. A creature from another world." He scoffed as he shook his head in disbelief. "How could she have done that to herself? How could she have hoped to ever deal with such an abomination?" The words aimed at himself still stung Calypso. She too had been an abomination, and destruction had followed in her wake.

"She loved him. Your mother was young and she may have made mistakes, but loving your father wasn't one of them."

"How can you know that?"

"You don't regret that. Loving someone. Not just because things didn't turn out as you hoped." Her throat grew tight and she returned her focus to the road.

There was a lapse of silence before he spoke again. The anger and frustration had seeped out of him.

"I always wondered if I'd had a family. I wondered what they might be like, if they missed me." He laughed without humor. "This is not how I'd imagined it."

"It rarely is."

"And I've already lost them," he passed the glowing stone from one hand to another. For a moment it looked like he might throw it from the vehicle, but his whole body sagged, defeated. "I killed people. I murdered her son. My brother." He shook his head. "I have nothing again."

Calypso blinked quickly, overwhelmed by her own memories. "That's not true." She whispered. Her own family was lost, but the reverend might still make amends with his mother, no matter how impossible it seemed. "I think she would be interested in getting to know you better, if you gave her the chance."

He chuckled, "What, just turn myself in? You think she'll sweep this whole little 'mishap' under the rug?" Bitterness twisted his features as he stared out the passenger window once again.

"It won't be easy." Calypso clarified. "But it is not as impossible as you imagine. You were not yourself, that stone fed on the stories your mother read, and they poisoned your mind." She was hard pressed to excuse the man for his murders, but there was a moral gray area in this instance. How could she, or anyone for that matter, understand the changes that had turned him to violence.

"It doesn't matter, I am a criminal. I may not have been of right mind, but I acted with violence. If I had held my temper, maybe none of this would have happened. If I had been stronger-" he shook his head. "They will hang me, and they will be right to do so."

"Do you really believe that? You've dedicated your life to helping others. You were swept up in something you couldn't possibly have controlled."

"I betrayed my faith. I took life. I will regret it till the end of my days, but it's too late. I cannot atone for these sins on regret alone."

"It's not too late. You can still stop this from growing worse by turning yourself in." She no longer believed he intended to hurt her, but she couldn't be entirely certain that suggesting he give himself up wouldn't change his mind.

"What, for a life in prison?"

"For a life where you might know your mother."

He sobered at that and became quiet once more. The flicker of headlights was closer now, but still dim enough not to draw attention.

"I'm sorry, for threatening you." He spoke again. "I didn't know what to do- when she finally found out who I was, what I had done. I didn't- I didn't know what else to do…"

"So you ran away," Calypso offered a reassuring smile. "It's not entirely uncommon for people to try and run away from their problems. Though I can tell you from experience that it rarely works."

"Yes," he said with a sigh. "I have been preaching that same wisdom myself for years. Perhaps it's time I listened to my own sermons." His grip on the stone loosened and she could see the pulsing was less frantic now. "If it would be alright with you Miss Calypso, perhaps you might turn the car around and let us return to the estate."

Calypso let out a relieved sigh and smiled at him. "That is good news. I'm sure your mother is worried-" she spotted a blur of brown from the corner of her eye and returned her attention to the road. There were several deer caught in the headlights, one of them directly in the middle of the road, staring the vehicle down. She slammed on the brakes, but the rain soaked road gave little resistance and she had to yank the wheel sideways to avoid striking the creature.

The vehicle turned, skidding sideways and leaping from the road. The steering column wrenched from her grip as they bounced down an awkward hill, picking up further speed as they sideswiped a tree. Calypso struggled to regain control of the bouncing vehicle again but her foot slipped off the pedal and the headlights illuminated the glittering surface of a lake a moment before they dove into it.

There was a crash and her head struck the steering column; the world turning to a hazy blur. She didn't fully recover until she felt icy water lapping at her chest. She jerked up immediately with a gasp, her head still spinning from the collision. The vehicle bobbed along the surface, drifting from the shore, but it was rapidly filling with water.

"Rev-" she searched for her companion, but saw the passenger glass had shattered when the reverend had been thrown from the vehicle. She spotted him some distance away, the purple stone pulsing in his hand as he splashed in the water. He coughed and sputtered, but seemed otherwise unharmed.

She gathered her wits and pushed against the door, but it didn't budge. The water continued to pour in as she slammed her shoulder against the door again but the pressure from outside was too great. She resolved to crawl through the broken window as the water reached her shoulders, but when she shifted, her foot was stuck fast.

"Oh god," a whimper caught in her throat as she struggled to free herself. Her foot was trapped beneath the brake pedal, pinning her to the vehicle floor. She turned her face upward for a last gasp of air before the there was nothing left to breathe and she began to sink into the lakes murky depths.

Beneath the water it was impossible to see. The headlights still illuminated a short distance forward, but the inside of the cab was black and blurry from the water. She bent down, feeling for her foot. Her movements were frantic as she tugged at both her boot and the pedal itself. Her lungs were already beginning to burn as she worked, but she grew no closer to escape.

She spotted the purple light in the middle of her thrashing, the reverend appeared on the other side of the door, stone still in hand. He pulled the door open and lifted her shoulder in an attempt to clear her from the sinking vehicle. She gestured to her foot as bubbles began to burst from her lips. He swam down further, tugging at her foot until he focused his efforts on her laces. But he was clumsy with one hand, so he set the stone down on the cab floor and worked quickly to release her foot.

The stone rolled out of the vehicle and sank further into the darkness, giving them no light to work with and Calypso began to shake with the effort to keep air in her chest.

She knew immediately when he had finished, because her foot felt loose. He yanked her free from her seat and shoved her toward the surface. She kicked and thrashed her way up, the last of her stale air bursting from her chest a moment before she could reach the surface. She broke free into the frigid night air coughing and choking the water from her lungs.

"Calypso!" She heard splashing to her left and turned to see the Doctor already swimming out toward her. His hair was plastered down over his forehead and he'd lost his suit jacket somewhere along the way. She could only sob in relief as he pulled her to him. "It's alright. I've got you." He whispered, but his tone suggested he spoke more to reassure himself than her.

"The reverend," she finally choked out, her gaze dipping down to the now flickering headlights of the sunken vehicle. "He came back for me. He saved me." She pleaded with the Doctor. Despite the reverends actions, she couldn't leave him to die.

"Right, you alright to swim?" He asked, leading her toward the nearby shore where Donna stood in front of bright headlights. She nodded quickly and he released her with a squeeze. "Off you go then. I'll find him." He promised before taking a breath and diving down to the center of the lake.

Calypso forced her shaky limbs to carry her to Donna, who had waded some distance into the water and helped her to her feet.

"Gave us a fright there," Donna chided as she supported Calypso's slow steps. "What were you thinking? Driving off the road like that."

"Deer." Calypso said through chattering teeth, the evening had been cool, but now soaked to the skin it was downright freezing. "In the middle of the road."

"Bloody scoundrels." Donna glowered. She steadied Calypso against the side of the car and reached into the back seat. "Here," she said as she produced a blanket. "You'll catch your death if we don't get you warmed up. Probably better see if there's something for that crack in your skull too." She disappeared and began to rummage through the trunk.

Calypso felt at the throbbing in her temple and found her hairline sticky with blood.

"Did he do that to you?" Agatha appeared, helping Calypso sit when it became clear that she wasn't quite steady enough on her feet to stand.

"No," Calypso shook her head. "I think I hit my head when we crashed. He didn't want to hurt me. He'd agreed to turn around-" her voice caught as she spotted the Doctor cresting the shore. He dragged a sizable lump behind him, but there was no sign of movement. He fell to his knees and pressed against the reverend's chest rapidly, in between he tried to breathe air into the man's lungs, but the reverend didn't stir.

"How do you kill a wasp?" Agatha's voice was distant as she watch the Doctor labor. "You drown it."

"No," Calypso stood, clutching the vehicle for support. "He came back for me. He can't have drowned."

"Perhaps he hoped to atone for his sins." Agatha put a reassuring had on her shoulder as the Doctor brushed his fingers against the reverends eyelids, shutting them.

"I'm sorry Calypso. What's done is done." Donna said, not entirely unsympathetic. "Now sit down so I can tend to that." She had found some gauze to stop the bleeding.

"Don't bother," the Doctor said as he pushed himself up from the ground. His shirt clung to his ragged frame and he met Calypso's eyes.

"Don't bother?" Donna looked ready to dunk him in the lake again. "I'll bother _you_ space man. She's hurt!"

"I know, but you won't have time, Donna." He said as he crossed to Calypso's side, taking her hand in his own.

"Won't have time? What on earth could you mean by that, Doctor?" Agatha looked between them questioningly.

"Oh," Donna said, realizing it just as Calypso did herself. She had dismissed the tingling as a side effect of her head wound, and the feathering yellow light had been disguised in the warm glow of the headlights.

"It means you're going to need a new assistant." Calypso smiled apologetically at Agatha.

"Never as much time as I'd like," the Doctor brushed her cheek with his thumb. His miserable look was magnified by his current soaked state.

"Nor I," she leaned into his palm, which was warm despite his swim in the lake.

"I'll see you soon. Might even skip the whole disaster bit next time. What do you think? Just you, and me, and something lovely. Maybe a picnic."

"That sounds wonderful," she smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. It reminded her sharply of another green-eyed man who had taken her into the Versailles gardens for a picnic. And the lingering fear that she might never see that man again.

She pulled him close against her to hide her tears, and in a vain attempt to stay just a bit longer. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead.

She looked up at him and leaned forward, hesitant at first but he made no movement to distance himself. She wanted him to tell her he was coming back, she wanted him to tell her she didn't have to go. But she knew he couldn't, so she kissed him instead. His mouth was warm and surprisingly earnest against her own. There was no hesitation in his movements as he tangled his fingers in her wet hair, his lips lingering on hers after they had stopped.

"Don't forget about me," he said with a sly grin and his forehead pressed against her own.

"I couldn't." She whispered.

"So I gather they've known each other for some time?" Agatha's faded voice was somewhere to her left, and Donna just snorted in response. The world faded away and Calypso was lost in the darkness once more.

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><p><em>P.S. I love to hear from you guys. Critiques are TOTALLY UNEQUIVOCALLY accepted!<em>


	49. The Dust Bowl

_A/N: That's right folks. Hell hath frozen over. I got another update out and it's only been a week. If you're waiting on my other story...well. Hell is still hot and boiling and flame-tastic in that area. But I promise you're on the docket. Probably. You're all marvelous human beings for sticking with me. And thank you to all the guest commentators that I can't write back to! And a special shout out to **margie-me** who's only on chapter twenty, so she might burn out before she gets here BUT if she does get this far, you're fantastic and thank you for your chapter comments!_

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><p><strong>-1933-<strong>

**-The Dust Bowl-**

Calypso struggled to stay standing when she arrived, a powerful gust unbalanced her and she staggered to regain her balance. The wind didn't subside, but grew stronger around her. She raised an arm to block the worst of the debris that battered her and tried to make out her surroundings.

There was a small two-story house some distance away, with a covered porch that shaded the entry; beyond that there was only a barren field. Everything else disappeared into a brown haze that was no doubt caused by the winds that now buffeted her. The light had a strange yellow glow to it and she turned to see what could cause such an effect in the middle of the day.

Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the towering wall of dirt that was closing in. It reached further into the sky than she could have imagined, and it stretched out beyond where she stood, swallowing everything in the monstrous dust-filled cloud. She stumbled backward as she realized the storm wasn't just moving, but moving _fast_. She turned to run but movement in the imposing wall caught her attention first.

A man burst forward wearing a long blue jacket that was covered in a thick layer of dirt. He spun as he emerged and fired a pistol into the swirling sands. The shots sizzled as they penetrated the storm and illuminated small pockets of the gloom with an unusual brightness for bullets. She thought she spied something darker further in, but it was hard to see in the twisting wind.

"Not a good time for sightseeing!" The man said as he spotted her across the field, headed her way in a hurry.

"What are you shooting at?" Hunting in this kind of weather seemed absurd and he had the sort of urgency that struck her as relevant.

"We've got incoming." He turned as he reached her and fired again into the oncoming darkness. This time she was certain she saw something, but was hard pressed to describe exactly what as it didn't seem any more solid than the dirt that disguised it.

"I don't understand what that means." The winds were strong enough now that she had to shout to be heard.

"Generally," he said with a grin as he grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "It means we run!"

She had no time to protest, and with the distance between herself and the enormous dust storm shrinking, she wasn't inclined to. She opted to ask her questions later and focused on keeping up with the man as they both ran for the house. The winds caught them quickly and it wasn't long before they were swallowed into the chaos. The house disappeared before her, but she knew it hadn't been more than a few paces in front of them. Her heels struck the wooden porch and she allowed herself a moment of relief as the man pounded on a door they could hardly see.

"It's me!" He bellowed, using the collar of his jacket to block out the assaulting debris. "Open up!"

Calypso didn't notice the dark creature slink up to her side until she felt a chill on her arm. She shrieked in surprise and the man yanked her sideways, pulling her out of the things grip. He shot twice into the middle of it, the black stain shattered when struck, and was swept away with the wind.

The door finally swung open and they both tumbled inside, the air was blissfully still and Calypso fell into a coughing fit to clear her lungs.

"Who's this?" There was a woman with deeply bronzed skin at the door, tall and sturdily built. She didn't look particular impressed with Calypso who had finally caught her breath.

The man shrugged as he tossed his coat over a chair and shook his hair like a dog, trying to clear the worst of the dirt. "Thought she was one of yours. Found her wandering outside."

"She's not." The woman reached for the shotgun that was balanced against the wall.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to intrude-" Calypso backed away quickly, realizing the woman was between her and the door. Her arm still burned from where the creature had touched her, but it didn't worry her more than the shotgun.

"Alona," the man strode forward, a charming grin on his face. "It's alright. I've got it handled. How's Akando?" He nodded toward the next room. Calypso realized there were more than a dozen people in the living area that was through the first hall. One of them was an elderly man laid out on the sofa, another was a young man applying a compress to the elder's forehead. They both shared Alona's dark coloring and her stern brow.

"He's still feverish," Alona said, softening slightly as her hand slid away from the gun. "He needs medicine."

"Well it's a good thing I made it to the Henderson's farm, isn't it?" He smiled as he pulled a bottle out from his back pocket and held it out for Alona's approval.

The frown relaxed from her face and was replaced with the hint of a smile as she nodded. "Thank you Jack, that was real kind of you."

"Whatever I can do to keep the flock happy." He winked at Alona, who fought back against smiling any further. Her eyes returned to Calypso and the warmth drained out of them. "I'm not feeding her from our stock. We've got enough mouths as it is."

"Not a problem, I'll take care of it. Tell Akando I expect him to be ready for poker tonight. I'll just get her up to speed." He nodded toward Calypso and led her down the hallway as Alona disappeared into the living room. "So," he turned his charm toward Calypso as she finally felt her heart rate returning to normal. "What's your name?"

"Calypso," she spotted more people in the kitchen, they all looked just as ragged as Alona had. Tired, thin, and covered in a layer of dust, just like everything else in the house. Jack grabbed a lamp as they rounded the stairs and began to descend.

"They never put electric in down here, it's mostly just for food stores anyway." The yellow flame flickered against the narrow stairway walls until it finally opened up into the chilly stone basement. It was split into several smaller rooms, most of them empty, but she thought she spotted a pantry to their left. He continued to the far end where there were several closed doors reflected in the lamplight.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" She finally asked when he came to a stop in front of one of the doors.

"Well, I'm Jack. I came across this group of people, oh…" he thought about it for a moment. "Maybe a week ago. The storms have been pretty common, but they're getting worse. And they haven't stopped."

"That sand storm is _common_?" She asked, bewildered that such a hulking event could be anything other than an anomaly.

He gave her a calculating look. "You're not really from around here, are you?"

"I'm…" she struggled to answer. "I'm just passing through." She found it was best to answer as obscurely as possible. The fewer stories she made up, the less likely she was to be caught in a lie. She was curious as to how long she'd been out of the world, but she didn't think it was a good idea to outright ask the date.

"Yeah, thought as much. You don't look dressed especially 'depression era dust bowl farmer' It's hard to harvest wheat in heels." He grunted as he lifted the wooden bar that rested against the door keeping it shut. "Not that you don't look lovely." He added with a wink.

She looked down at her beige silk dress, the one she'd been wearing at the manor. It wasn't especially exotic, but the fluttering skirt clearly painted her as a stranger to these parts, even if it was now caked with a thin layer of dirt that permeated everything.

"But surely the storms have to stop sometime."

Jack opened the door with a chuckle. "Funny you should mention that. They did stop briefly. Right when you showed up." She opened her mouth to protest when he shoved her bodily into the room and slammed the door behind her.

"Hey-" She spun around and threw her weight against the door, but it didn't budge. There was a single table in the room where a lamp gave off a faint enough glow to show there was no handle on this side. With a sinking heart she heard Jack drop the wooden beam back across the door. "Jack, let me out right now." She poured every ounce of authority she had into her voice because if he didn't let her out, she didn't have any idea what she was going to do.

"And," Jack's voice drifted through a small venting window in the door. "More interesting than the thirty foot radius of clear air around you, was just outside when that Shade grabbed you. If you were like us, you would have disappeared with it. Popped up to that god forsaken ship with the rest of the people they've taken. But you _didn't_. You're still right here. And I'm betting that's because you're one of them."

"Jack, I don't even know who you're talking about." She battered her fists on the door again, this time out of frustration rather than any real hope that he'd open the door.

"Now, I'm a modern fellow." He continued, ignoring her pleas. "So I'm not much for senseless killing. But I'm going to need you to tell me where those people are. Or I'm going to have to keep you down here until you change your mind."

"I don't know where- if you let me out, I'll help you look." She promised desperately.

"Oh, and if you could convince your boss to give it a rest with the wind? I'd really appreciate that. I mean, the sand is getting everywhere. Not just inside, but _everywhere_. I've got sand coming out the- well. It's becoming a real problem. Obviously, the priority is the people. But anything you can do to talk them out of using a giant sandblaster down here would be much appreciated."

"I don't-"

"Ah, Jackie boy. You've finally brought me something interesting." A voice behind her caused her to jump. The corner of the room was still dark, despite the lamp, but she was certain she'd heard someone.

"Yeah, they were out of magazines. Thought you might be bored. Plus, since she's on board with the whole 'hunting people for sport' thing, you two probably have lots to talk about."

"Oh yes," the voice was almost familiar, but there was a sinister tone to it that chilled her enough to cause her to press her shoulder blades back into the door. "This will make things _quite_ interesting."

"Jack," she tapped against the door again. "I'm not hunting people. There's someone in here, let me out this second or I'll-" Black leather boots stepped forward into the light and the shadows melted away from the man's face as he stood in the middle of the room.

"Hello sweetheart," his mouth quirked into a pleased smile and he shook his floppy brown hair back from his face. "It's been a while."

"Oh thank goodness." The fear left her in a flood as she recognized him. "Doctor, you frightened me half to death." She ought to have been angry with him, but she found she was too exhausted to muster up the energy and his odd behavior left her feeling uncertain.

"Wait- Doctor?" Jack's voice changed from the disinterested confidence to alarm immediately. "You _know_ the Doctor?"

"Of course she does. We go way _way_ back. We're quite… _familiar_ with each other." He still wore his curious smirk and Calypso worried he'd been stuck in this room for far longer than a week.

"Are you alright? Has he hurt you?" She crossed the room, desperately needing to wrap her arms around him when she heard Jack scrabbling on the other side of the door.

"Hold it!" He shouted as the door flew open, he had his pistol at the ready as he burst in. "Don't move!"

"I thought you said you weren't a killer?" Calypso said in a tense voice, but she obeyed him and stayed where she was. The Doctor lurched forward, falling short of reaching Calypso. She heard the rattle of chains as he strained, and she realized his arms were bound.

"I'm not. But that's also _not_ the Doctor," Jack said as he grabbed her elbow. "Don't touch her." He warned the Doctor. Calypso realized a little belatedly that he wasn't aiming the gun at her, he was aiming it at the Doctor.

"You've rather taken care of that. Or did you forget chaining me to the _floor_." The Doctor rattled his arms irritably. "But there's nothing to keep her from touching me." He lowered his hungry gaze to her own and she shuddered. It was his eyes, the normal calm green was gone. Now they surged and swirled as though something living was swimming in his pupils.

"I… don't understand… " she stammered as she let Jack pull her back to a safer distance. She wasn't entirely afraid, but the urge to reach out for him had been summarily squashed.

"Well," Jack said, finally lowering his gun when he was sure the Doctor couldn't reach them. "That's what happens when one of those Shades runs into a Time Lord."

"What does that _mean_?" She turned on Jack, irritated with his calm demeanor. She was prepared to shake answers from him, if needed.

"It means," The Doctor said with the same sick grin he'd been wearing since she arrived. "That it's _complicated_."


End file.
